How to separate gravel and yard?
May 29, 2011 5:08 AM Subscribe
Gravel on one side, grass on the other. What's a good border that's kid friendly?
We have a large area with pea gravel (for a swingset) that is currently separated by our yard by rotted, small landscaping timbers. Is there a more kid-friendly option that will still keep the gravel somewhat contained?
Also, the slide bottom is about 3 feet from this border, so it can't be too huge. The swingset is static so we have work around it.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
We have a large area with pea gravel (for a swingset) that is currently separated by our yard by rotted, small landscaping timbers. Is there a more kid-friendly option that will still keep the gravel somewhat contained?
Also, the slide bottom is about 3 feet from this border, so it can't be too huge. The swingset is static so we have work around it.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
From Eyebrows McGee's link, another promising-looking product: coco fiber edging. Maybe lay down something like these bed borders, and then ring it with a low-lying herb, like creeping thyme? Vice-versa? Or just the creeping thyme?
posted by MonkeyToes at 5:50 AM on May 29, 2011
posted by MonkeyToes at 5:50 AM on May 29, 2011
I would figure out a way to get a small amount of elevation change between the (lower) gravel bed and the (higher) grassy area. That would help to contain the gravel to some extent.
When you say kid-friendly, do you mean something that won't be more harmful if they fall on it than the grass or the gravel? Or simply something that they don't have to climb over?
If you don't mind hardness too much, I would install brick pavers, set kind of low into the ground, with a lot of space between them so that grass can grow into the spaces. Then you can corral the loose gravel with a quick pass with a rake.
If softness is what you want, there is stuff that I've seen that is sort of like paver bricks, but made out of ground up tires. Sort of a hard rubber sponge material. I want to say I've seen it in places like kids playlands. It is fairly dense, but probably not much worse than solid ground. (Flash of memory: it was made by Carlisle Rubber.)
Another option might be to put in something that is dense, like concrete pavers, and have removable and replacable softness bumpers. Old school would be a concrete bed with an iron pipe "railing" (ground level) that you just install foam pipe insulation over. Newer school, and possibly kind of cool looking, would some kind of setup where you embed some kind of fastener into a concrete strip. The concrete will act as the barrier that keeps the gravel and grass separate. But then you insert a bunch of swimming pool noodles into the fasteners to create a sort of weaved bumper. When the noodles wear out, go to the dollar store and get some more.
posted by gjc at 9:30 AM on May 29, 2011
When you say kid-friendly, do you mean something that won't be more harmful if they fall on it than the grass or the gravel? Or simply something that they don't have to climb over?
If you don't mind hardness too much, I would install brick pavers, set kind of low into the ground, with a lot of space between them so that grass can grow into the spaces. Then you can corral the loose gravel with a quick pass with a rake.
If softness is what you want, there is stuff that I've seen that is sort of like paver bricks, but made out of ground up tires. Sort of a hard rubber sponge material. I want to say I've seen it in places like kids playlands. It is fairly dense, but probably not much worse than solid ground. (Flash of memory: it was made by Carlisle Rubber.)
Another option might be to put in something that is dense, like concrete pavers, and have removable and replacable softness bumpers. Old school would be a concrete bed with an iron pipe "railing" (ground level) that you just install foam pipe insulation over. Newer school, and possibly kind of cool looking, would some kind of setup where you embed some kind of fastener into a concrete strip. The concrete will act as the barrier that keeps the gravel and grass separate. But then you insert a bunch of swimming pool noodles into the fasteners to create a sort of weaved bumper. When the noodles wear out, go to the dollar store and get some more.
posted by gjc at 9:30 AM on May 29, 2011
You could just replace the existing timber edging with treated timber of the same size, so that it will last longer. In any case, how long has the original timber lasted? The easiest solution may be just to replace the existing timber with the same material, knowing that it will need replacing again in x years.
posted by dg at 11:28 PM on May 29, 2011
posted by dg at 11:28 PM on May 29, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
I assume it'd work pretty well with gravel but you might have to be more diligent about tracking lost gravely bits, since it's not like stray bits of mulch will wreck a mower (or take out an eye!) and it'll just eventually mulch in if it lies there long enough. I guess it depends on how much scattering the kids playing creates and how much you're willing to rake the gravel back.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:38 AM on May 29, 2011