One of the long-term goals at Gamekeeper’s Cottage has been to gently improve the layout of the garden without disturbing its quiet, timeworn charm. So over the Easter break, I finally tackled something that’s been on my list for a while, laying a small paved area just outside the back door.
It’s only a modest patch, about 1.8m2, but it makes a world of difference. Previously, the space was just turf, which quickly turned to mud in wet weather. Now, it’s a proper place to stand, potter, and even put out a chair when the sun reaches that part of the garden. It will also tie in nicely with the garden paths that we will be creating.
The job started last year really, when I lifted the turf in preparation. This spring, I went on the hunt for the right materials. Rather than something shiny and modern, I opted for six weathered old paving slabs from a local reclamation yard — lovely, hefty things with worn edges and a bit of history baked in. They suit the house much better than anything too new.
Digging out the base was solid work; spade-deep, as always; and into that went 75mm of MOT1 sub-base, which I compacted with the old garden roller. It’s a rusty old beast of a thing that’s usually more ornament than tool, but it felt good to put it to work for once.
Next came 45mm of sharp sand, carefully levelled to make sure everything would drain just enough but still sit steady. Then the slabs went in, laid dry on the sand, with the gaps filled in using pea gravel to give it a softer look and allow for easy drainage.
It’s not a flashy job, but it’s a satisfying one. The slabs have bedded in nicely and already look like they’ve always been there. I like that, quiet changes that respect the feel of the place while making it more practical day to day.
A video of the process will be up on the Gamekeeper’s Cottage YouTube channel in a couple of weeks. I’ll add a link to it here once it’s live for those interested in seeing the work that went into this job.
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