Correct way to raise soil level in border

Hello all

I have just had new fencing including Gravel Boards fitted and since some of the Gravel Boards needed to be levelled by raising them up and since the garden slopes it has left a gap under the Gravel Boards, in some places of two or three inches.

Now, stupid question time

What I am planning on doing is just to build up the level of the borders so that the gaps under the Gravel Boards are covered.

Would it be alright to just dump top soil on the border and level it or would the border require any preparation before adding the top soil?

Also, talking about soil level and borders what is the recommended, if there is one, difference in the level between the lawn and the soil in the border as there must be a few inches difference in mine, with the soil being lower than the lawn?

Thanks in advance

Kevin

 

I had to do the same thing. Iam hoping in time to raise all my borders. I will be following this thread closely.



G.

 

Me too.

Meanwhile - in the days when I had a lawn, I kept the borders at the same height, more or less. The lawn had a brick edging (old London Stock bricks, buried on their sides). The lawnmower wheels stayed on that, and then the edge of the lawn got tidied afterwards with hand shears if necessary.

When I replaced the lawn with gravel the landscapers reused the bricks to edge that, but it's ended up a bit higher than the beds. What I'm therefore planning to do is to raise the level of the beds by getting in a load of spent compost this autumn and dumping that on as a mulch. Then it can work its own way in over the winter.

One thing I have always worried about is having soil over the level of the gravel boards, in case it rots them. But perhaps one should be treating them as sacrificial items, there to protect the fences and be replaced as required?

Anyway, I will look forward with interest to hearing what advice everyone can provide.

 

Hello @ClareG

Just to clarify something you said, the Gravel Boards I have are concrete so will not rot, hopefully

Thanks

Kevin

 

That's good @Kevin Cowans - much more sensible than my wooden ones!

 

Kevin, it would be fine to level as you suggest with top soil but better to mix some organic matter with it.

The lawn should be level or higher than the border level in my opinion so yours is fine. Here I made a concrete edge around the lawn a few years back to keep a separation and to prevent grass intruding into the border soil.

 

Hello @Verdun

Thanks for the clarification, it is always best to get advice and do it right first time.

Kevin

 

Just something else to consider... when new fences go up there is often no place for hedgehogs. They need to be able to venture out at night and visit as many places as they can get and many people forget to leave gateways for them.

 

Hello @Tetters

Thanks for the reply.

No need to worry, there are places where the hedgehogs can venture out of my garden

Kevin