Rough Paved Area

[tearinghair]

I have a small sloped area at the top of the garden where nothing grows (in the shade of a very tall fir tree). I've tried grass seed, but no success there either. I'd like to pave it, but I don't have the energy or the physical strength to dig enough to terrace it. I have plenty of rough stones (the original owner had a dry stone wall all round the garden) and I was wondering whether it would work if I just laid those on the existing slope? I could manage to dig out enough soil so that they lie flat to the surface. I'd be very grateful for any advice.

[woofgang]

have you tried ivy? or look here
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=430

[The Builder]

Try this ..........

lay landscaping fabric over the area (close-woven material that allows drainage, but holds back weed growth)
Scatter large stones over this to your liking
Fill in between the stones with small clean chippings (various colours available depending on where you live)

Maybe even create a few pockets of soil/compost araond the stones, and plant "Alpine" type plants.

[Hypognosis]

When the needles dropped by conifer trees break down naturally, they release compounds which turn the soil acidic. To an extent that they kill other plants and the forest floor in a conifer plantation looks dead, compared to a deciduous wood's undergrowth.

Conifers prefer acid soil, so they effectively prepare the ground for their progeny.

Grass is notorious for out-competing slower growing plants so, if the grass is struggling, I take that as a sign that the soil condition needs assessing and remedial work will be needed before anything else goes in that patch.

[tearinghair]

That sounds good, Builder. Is the fabric available in garden centres? I love alpines, so it's worth a try. Directly opposite I have a bank of heathers, which grow well and look good, so it would complement that (the fir tree doesn't cover that area.

The RHS website basically confirms that there's no point in trying to grow anything much under the conifer. I'm not a natural gardener, so soil testing would be a step too far.

Thanks for the suggestions.

I've given up on

[woofgang]

Its available loads of places including ebay, amazon, homebase, b and q.

[The Builder]

http://www.diy.com/departments/verve-under-decking-fabric-w1m-l15m/205887_BQ.prd

:o)

[Chipchopper]

Just to help with you search. The decking fabric is sometimes known as a 'Terram' or 'semi-permeable membrane'

Hope the slope isn't so steep that the rocks roll down, maybe some sort of retainer at the bottom or the larger stones there ?

[tearinghair]

Thanks again, everyone. No, it's not too steep at any one point: just a long gradual slope up which makes mowing quite tiring. It would be good not to have to do that part of the garden in future.