WHAT DO YOU THINK, THIS ONE OR THAT ONE.

The patio is approximately 10' x 25', the Gable end path is 8' x 40' and the hard area behind the
3 garages is 41' x 12' and they all interconnect. The Landscaper and his team arrived this morning and they removed the dwarf Mock Orange Manteau d'Hermine with a nice root ball which will go, temporarily, into a very large clay pot until I can decide on a permanent place for it. The 40 year old compost heap is being demolished as I write and is going to a recycling compost specialist. The guys also moved the very heavy pots from the patio area that I couldn't move myself.......it took two of them to move them so I don't feel so guilty about leaving them to do the heavy work. I have my orders for mugs of tea!!! One when they arrive in the morning, one at 10.00am and then 3pm. I've also got a heap of Bacon in to keep the guys fed just in case they haven't bought lunch.
Stan "the Man who can" Landscaper loves my garden and the fact that he built the Observatory base for me. He insisted on giving the team a tour of the garden before they started, saying "look at the innovative ideas here", (making me blush a little), and then down to the wildlife pond...and the guys seemed to like it all. They've also booked a inside look at the Observatory and how it works
Stan runs things like a military operation, so things ordered arrive on time just as they're needed with no pauses between like clockwork. So a skip has arrived, a Grabber is sitting on the driveway and there's a load of sand and gravel waiting to come after the concrete is dug up. Stan and I had originally discussed using "Brindle" sets but as they come in just the one size I decided against them as, to my mind, they look too formal. The Tegula setts come in a mixture of three sizes so, hopefully, making them more interesting. So he's waiting for me to decide which Tegula colour I want


Brindle

 

Positive thinking, Jiffy, positive thinking!!! Actually, Stan the Landscaper and I were talking about the "negatives" laying setts. The ones being laid are permeable, laid on sand and not cement. Stan doesn't like the fact that weeds will eventually grow, if given the chance, between the gaps of the setts......my answer was "Weed Killer"!!! None of the present hard areas have ever suffered from green cause by damp as water drains quickly away in my sandy garden, so I don't think that will be a problem, especially as the water will drain between the setts.

 

I'm looking for something that is restful to the eye while blending/melding with the garden and Stan is bringing samples of all the Teluga range tomorrow for me to decide. So nothing too garish, bright, or the opposite, formal or industrial looking. Thanks for the tip, silu, about the right weed killer At the moment, the huge old compost heap has gone, it's filled a big Skip and now the Grabber is taking the compost out of the Skip for recycling. The new section of fence composed of 14 x 6' long 4" X 2" timber, replacing the old worn section has been dropped into place in a matter of seconds, so that is "done and dusted". My 3rd Composter Bin arrived this afternoon is now stored in the garage until the garden work is completed, so things are coming together. All you can hear outside, at the moment is the sound of Jack Hammers, stone saws, sledge hammers, and shovels. Jenny the cat has voted to stay indoors rather than go out into the garden

Yes, Stan the Man, has emphasised that permeable pavers and cobbles are best laid on sand, gravel, and a rough base, and only "Cowboys" would lay them onto concrete.

 

It's now dark at 16.55pm and the guys have tidied up and climbed into the Van to get some Tea and a well earned breather. I've fed them with Bacon and Egg Baps and oceans of Tea so they've been very happy.
One of the characteristics of my garden is that, due to decades of adding compost, all the borders are higher than any of the paths and need railway sleepers and/or edging to keep the soil in the borders and not on the paths. So, some of the borders lining the edge of the Green House and the garage areas having had some of the neighbouring hard area removed will now need some sort of new edging. So, tomorrow, I will visit the local Timber Yard and order 2 Railway Sleepers that will be cut to fit the various border edges now exposed and the guys will pick them up in their Van.
The steps of the Observatory which encroached onto the patio are now gone!! Stan decided he wanted to redesign the steps and will use materials he has put aside for another job. I think he is right so I've given him free rein without any worries as he is a perfectionist and the new steps will be fine.


Another parcel arrived which was the soil fence base for the 3rd Composter Bin, that means all 3 Composters can go into place as soon as the setts are laid.

 

If it were me, Burnt Ochre - - am I too late?

 

No, not too late, FC, as I don't see the final samples until tomorrow.