Laying new lawn - some questions

[ressull]

Hi, I am looking to lay around 60sq.m of turf in my garden and have some questions.

The drainage is poor due to poor soil (clay) so I am looking to put in a french drain to help the problem. On top of this I will lay topsoil but not sure how much to buy as I've never done anything like this before, also how much should I expect to pay for it? likewise, how much should I expect to pay for turf and any advice on what to look out for or any recommended suppliers in the Ayrshire region would be very much appreciated.

If anyone has any other advice or tips on how to lay a good lawn then any help would be great.

Thanks in advance,

Russell

[songbird]

are you just filling in the pathways of already existing gardens or starting from scratch?

can you describe the surrounding layout more? are there any ditches next to that spot? trees? etc...

sorry, can't say anything about costs, i'm not from the uk.

songbird

[trader4]

I'd get screened topsoil sufficient for a depth of 6". While your area isn't huge, it's probably larger than you want to do using bags from the garden center. Also will be less expensive and easier if you get it delivered by a small truck load. Here in the states they advertise in the newspaper classifieds. Or you can probably find someone in the business listings under topsoil or landscape supply, etc. Figure out how many cubic yards you need and then will quote you a price. Test the PH and adjust as necessary. It's common for topsoil like this to need adjustment.

For turf, make sure what you get is suited to the use, ie is it full sun, shade, heavy traffic, etc. Another consideration is some grass looks better than others, but the trade off is it requires more maintenance, so it's better suited to someone who wants a first class front lawn, as opposed to someone who is using it for a backyard and isn't as fussy.