Yard garden - concrete floor is a mess

I like the idea, but I don't know if my mum will. She's not a gardener at all. She can manage a few plants in containers but I think if she had open ground it would get out of control pretty quickly.

 

Personally I wouldn't go down the concrete route, unless it was just to make paths, it would look too much concrete if you did the whole area, and you could possibly have drainage problems.
A few slabs for paths, as John says, with gravel areas to break it up.

No maintenance needed once done, apart from pulling out any weeds that dare to try and seed in the gravel.

I did a smallish problem area with red granite a couple of years ago.
Dont use pea shingle.

 

I'm loving the excellent ideas and advice coming out of this thread. Thank you all.

 

She had the washing out on the line when I was round, which made it impossible to get a decent shot of the whole area.

It's not very big. If I were to guess, I'd say about 5x3 metres.

 

I'd remove the concrete too. Gravel would be an easy and cheap way to smarten the area up. Any slabs for paving as you see below, can be sunk to the same level (internet picture). My patio and drive are gravel and the patio has membrane underneath to keep weeds at bay. It also allows for drainage and planting directly through it. It's also easier on the eye than concrete.

 

Hmm... yes, it's a old concrete piece and pieces, but surface is still quite smooth. If house isn't renovated to a high standard itself, I wouldn't invest into replacing it (patio surface). Would occasionally clean the moss and get rid of grass/weeds. A few large pots here and there, and that's all.

 

To properly concrete it will be quiet expensive, digging out, putting down a hardcore base and the laying the actual concrete, so you need to be careful about price/quotes and the folk your employ.

Do you have good access to the back of the yard for skips and concrete delivery etc ?

If time is on your side, would be tempted to lift the concrete and beneath to about 4" and if all seems sound , then using a simple motar mix lay down some nice flagstones or Indian Sandstone flags for something a bit more interesting.

 

Its a difficult one as to how far you go, how much you spend and obviously how much time and effort you want to put in.

Notice a manhole and a drain hole, not insurmountable problems but need to be worked round, I think its one of those jobs that if you go at it half heartedly you could wish you had never started, on the other hand you might get into it and enjoy doing it.

Time, money, travelling distance involved and how much Mum is going to get out of all this, bearing in mind she's not really into gardening.