I have read the mudbath thread with interest but don't think any of the tips would work for what I need.  I have a strip at the side of my fence that once was a flower border but i filled it with stones and had wooden edging round it.  the wood eventually rotted so I replaced it with a decorative border and bought metal edging to keep the stones in.

The metal edging didn't work as there is concerete at the fence posts and also at the ajoining slabs so I just put the decorative stuff in.  The pup has managed to wreck this and there are now stones everywhere as he causes mayhem everytime he goes near the fence to speak to my neighbour and her dog.  the dark destroyer is at it again.

I removed most of the decorative stones yesterday and lifted the polythene that was down which has revealed lots of diggable earth (according to the pup.  hmm thank goodness for my fantastic new miele vacuum!) and have put wood over it to prevent the pup digging too much.

I am looking for something to put down now as the bed is slightly raised above the paving slabs and I can put slabs down as the fence is likely to need replaced in the next couple of years.  I don't want to discourage the dogs from using the strip as it is good for them to speak to the neighbours and any visiting dogs they have.

I had a look at the grass matting that was mentioned on the mud thread but it is very expensive and far too big for what I need (approx 13' x 1.5').  does anyone have any cheap suggestions to stop the mess and make it look decent?  I don't want to put the stones back down as they end up spilling everywhere.

Round our way there are gangs of work men offering to lay brick drive ways and paths. These look very attractive and I have discovered by talking to neighbours (most of whom have had it done) that the guys start by quoting a huge price then over the weeks they down and down in price. One neighbour paid paid about £2,000 for a drive way and her neighbour got the identical one for £700! lol

Another thought is to buy the 'gravel' style drive which I saw at Thame show in the craft tent. It is a covering you can put over the ground and over cracked or very tatty concrete, to make it look really nice and tidy. It is gravel effect but the gravel is bonded together so it acts like a paving slab or tarmac type drive or pathway. Sorry don't remember what is is called though.

thanks Polly, I've never had anyone round selling stuff like that unfortunately.  What I have decided to do is dig the area to make a trench and then put the stones back in so they sit lower than the slabs rather than above them.  This should help keep the stones in rather than spilling all over the place.  I have started digging but gave up after 10 minutes so it could take some time!

i wouldnt encourage any of those types that go around doing driveways mostly they are pikeys....theyll do the drive one day and take your dogs the next!

These guys didn't come back, they were with a legitimate company. As soon as I saw them turn up my immediate thoughts were "Oh no Pikeys" but they were ok. They did a leaflet drop then came back and asked if the house owner wanted a driveway done. That was 18 months ago.

However the idea of having a brick pathway done by a reputable builder would not be a problem which is what I meant. It is a traditional way of cheaply layng a path and several country places here have brick pathways. I have seen paving slabs sold in B & Q which are small and can be laid like bricks to make a pathway

We had some stuff left from my brothers drive years ago spaced tham out over some black damp course, made a pattern and filled each section in with a different coloured stone looked great.

You could space the odd brickts ect out and fill in the spaces with big pebbles, not mounth sized but big ones, he would have a hard job digging them up. Or Gabion baskets - like you see along motorways, you can buy them empty and fill them with old paving slabs and dirt in the middle, you can plant them in the soil bits or put wood across the top and make a long seat?

Im using them in our new house with a polished concrete top as a seat. The baskets are around £10 - £15 each empty.

> Or Gabion baskets - like you see along motorways, you can buy them empty and fill them
>
> Im using them in our new house with a polished concrete top as a seat. The baskets are around £10 - £15 each empty.

Whistler, where can you get the Gabions from?  I'm looking for something to shore up an old ditch and bank.

Thanks

Elliotts builders merchants, Travis Perkins any builders merchants should be able to get you some. Ive seen them with old bricks in, pebbles, paving slab's they look really good.
Just goggled "gabion baskets" and got loads of hits.

> i wouldnt encourage any of those types that go around doing driveways mostly they are pikeys....theyll do the drive one day and take your dogs the next

Or the drive sinks in the winter.. My hubbie will get thumped next time he goes for the cheap option!!!!