What to put over a concrete garden: Patio, Decking or Grass?

[dylanswall]

Hi,
I have a small garden (approximately 4m x4m) that is fully concreted over (with a few paving slabs randomly set!!??) and I want to do something with it, but what?

I would like to put grass down but not sure if this would go on top of the concrete? I had thought about laying a two brick high wall across the garden and filling it with soil, would that be deep enough to support a small lawn and are there any other things I should take into consideration ie drainage etc.

Failing that, it will be a full patio or decking. Is there generally a preference:

decking looks like being a pain in the rear to install, costs look similar but was just wondering when it comes to sell the house, if having one over the other is more beneficial? I had also thought about putting a raised flower bed at the rear, against a wall, using a couple of railway sleepers. Obviously this would only be possible on the concrete and not on the decking.

Any help/ ideas would be gratefully received. Thanks

 

[dextrous]

Raised beds, big pots? Maybe you could lift those slabs (break them up first) to open up the soil below - then raised beds over these and/or maybe a water feature type thingy.

I know others on here will go ballistic, but you could consider using plastic grass over the concrete as well, instead of decking.

 

[HERTS P&D]

I would go for decking with a pond/water feature and a raised bed at the rear.

If you have grass, you will then need a shed for the lawn mower, making your garden even smaller.

Andy

 

[dylanswall]

unfortunately the slabs are on top of concrete so my aim is to just put something on top of the concrete (grass, patio or decking) for ease and cost saving, rather than start breaking up the concrete.

 

[Thermo]

turf is a no no. it wont drain and it will die.

artificial turf is doable and can look good for the more expensive options (£25-£40m2 for good looking stuff)

pave over it if it is sound, or deck, or you could use stone chippings/ slate etc as a cheaper alternative

 

[dylanswall]

Cheers. Grass is out then (not a big fan of astro turf so that is out also).

Already have chipping down and it looks cr@p, hence the decision to either pave or patio

 

[Thermo]

decking will be quicker and easier

 

[dylanswall]

I would have thought decking would be a bit more complicated and harder to lay than a patio.

This is based on my assumption that laying a patio is pretty much like tiling, mix a load of cement, slap it down and stick the slabs on top.

Decking looks more complicated with sawing, mitring, hammering and then you have to treat it?

Please feel free to correct me if my assumptions are widely wrong as I have done neither before