Week 11 - May 10th

 So the plan is evolving at the idea that the ramp has got to go. There's been some work done this week and we've finished 99% filling the Gabions. I might buy some smaller stones and fill some gaps as you can see the stuff that's underneath the stones.

There's been a lot of rain - April showers kind of weather and it's pretty cold considering it's may and the garden's just a mud bath with all the clay. I'm writing this on the last day of this week Sunday and I'm hoping to get out into the garden and have a tidy up and see what's next.

So the major decisions to be made are...

(1). What kind of patio stones are going down, I'm of the opinion that we should have Khota black slabs, which are surprisingly cheap. A bloke down the road has had them put in and I think they look nice, but the others don't share my views. Downside is you have to seal them possibly yearly? Plus they are easily put down wrong with crap results.

(2). The steps need to be designed. This is in part complicated by the need to decide what's going on the floor and how far the steps will come out into the patio area and the likes and where they'll go. 

(3). Is the ramp coming down where's all the wood going to go and can it be got rid of without incurring more costs e.g. a skip or another grabber lorry?

(4). What's happening with the grassed area? I did start digging this over, but now it needs to be used as a storage area for all the ramp wood and stuff that's at the bottom of the garden. 

So, the bottom line is the decision re the ramp needs to be made as pretty much every other decision is based on that being resolved. So yep the ramp goes. So today I'll be moving all the stuff under the ramp over to the other side and covering it with a tarp ready for the dismantling. 

Earlier this week: nearing completion and it's looking tight on whether we're going to have enough cobbles.

End of the week - Sunday 16/5/21...

I've moved some of the plants onto the Gabions to get them out of the way, but this is where plants will go eventually.

So here you can see the ramp with the Honeysuckle growing up it. I'm going to try and save that and grow it up the wall I'm taking the picture from. The main thing today is to move all the stuff from below the ramp and get it over to this side. 

Once again a load of the stuff has had to be moved back up to the top section of the garden.

All the stuff that was under the ramp has been moved or got ready to be thrown away. It's being stored under the blue tarp.

All the rubble and stones that were under the ramp have been moved and Ben's started to unravel the Honeysuckle. 

This'll probably be one of the last images of the ramp. Tomorrow or over the next few days weather permitting I'll move all the stuff off the ramp and start dismantling it. 

One of the issues at the moment is the need for more Cobbles. A bulk bag is £185 and we're going to need about 1/2 a bag, so what do I do with the rest? I suppose I can re-do the top Gabions and make them another layer or 2 deep so none of the rough stuff is visible or maybe use them in the shady area somehow or around the patio area? I think putting them in the gabions might be best and using the ruble taken out to fill the new gabions? 

The orders for the Gabions and the Stones has been placed 16/05/21. I've tried to time the stones so that they arrive during the 1/2 term break 2/6/21 by which time hopefully the ramp will be gone, the Gabions made and in place with a load of rubble already in them.

Slate chippings https://www.gravelmaster.co.uk/products/slate-chippings/p/blue-slate-20mm

Slate chippings https://www.cpa-horticulture.co.uk/blue-slate-chippings-20mm?gclid=CjwKCAjwhYOFBhBkEiwASF3KGYzn18fXJWW3yuKGGY5ldzDTXKX9LkcoEQ8V6zOcftM03PovjxYbJhoCD50QAvD_BwE

Step idea - https://www.rossendalelandscapes.co.uk/design-idea-railway-sleepers/