Laying grass up to block paving

[Justine Time]

Hi guys.... A friend has just had block paving all the way round the garden with a section left in the middle for doing whatever with ... soil /grass/pebbles etc. They want grass (fresh topsoil and then seeded) Can you grow grass right up to the block paving with the haunching being there. (within 1/4 inch of the top of paving in some places) Surely the grass will die around the edges.

I thought as they have lots of spare blocks to go around with a single line of blocks approx 6 inch away from the blocks, bedded on some concrete and that channel filled with small gravel.

Good idea, bad idea .... I don't know, any suggestions appreciated.

It's me not them that will be doing it.

[Justine Time]

Red part of pic between 1/4 and 1/2 inch

[Brian Gaff]

The way the weather is going, perhaps he should consider a paddy field? Brian

[Martin Brown]

The grass will spread out over a concrete drive at less than an inch thick of turf quite happily through being walked on. Grass is very robust and adaptable unless you are planning on bowling green quality.

The only consideration would be that a straight edge is much easier to trim and keep neat looking than a zig-zag block paving edge.

[fred]

In article , Justine Time writes

Grass up to the paving is fine, have done it this way and have had no problems, easy to cut too.

[Justine Time]

I don't nearly want to muck about with this one brick border thing at all. Just like to topsoil it all and have the grass grow right up to the paving. Do you think I should do that..... see how it goes for 6 months or so and if necessary could cut out a border then and lay a single brick all the way round. Another factor is the person who wants it doing and if we do the brick border idea, is she wants the grass to be not flush with the top of the brick border but be 1/2 inch below. The idea being no grass will then go into the pebbled border. I did point out that she will then have to trim the grass at the edges after using the mower. Adamant that is how she wants it. She is in her 70's My son had similar job done and he just membraned the old soil and threw down slate .... job done , very smart.

[Bob Minchin]

You beat me to it Fred!

Yes it works a treat, I've just come in from cutting the grass in just this arrangement. Blocks form a mowing edge. We tend to go round once a year with a edging iron but most of the edge gets cut by swinging the flymo onto the paving.

Bob

[fred]

Just happened to be passing ;-)

Mine definitely needs an edging but at the mo it's lucky to get a cut, wot with all the rain. Just managed to give it the once over there, still wet so not the best of jobs but it will do for now.

[fred]

In article , Bob Minchin writes

Oh and for proper bodgery I have cut into existing turf to lay an edging with them too, levelled the base pretty well, added a dusting of loose soil as reqd then whacked the blocks down with a mallet and they have been stable ever since.

This was as a border between grass and gravel so there is support on both sides but I was surprised it was so successful. No founds or anything (in the old Victorian stylee.)