The Brew Cabin

Hello!

I need to lay some tegula (cobbles & concrete setts) under the canopy of an existing tree to make a circular feature. I was planning to leave a 1m radius around the trunk for drainage, then lay a 1.5m thick band of tegula (making the total radius 2.5m). The tree is quite a mature, multi stemmed sycamore approx. 3m radius. I don't want to risk too much damage to the tree. Can anybody help me please?

I don't foresee any problems with your plan, other than the nasty effect Sycamore trees have on the surface of all forms of paving. The treees are plagued with some form of aphid that exudes a sticky sap which drips from the tree in minute quantities, but, over the course of a summer, it builds up on the paving, attracting a black fungus and making the paving look awful, even though, structurally, it's sound.

Keeping a metre away from the trunk will help you avoid the worst of the shallow roots. Lay the inner and outer courses on concrete, but lay the body of the paving on a flexible construction so that water and air can still find their way to the roots of the damned tree, and all should be well (ish).

You could surface dress around the trunk with bark or a gravel to keep it looking tidy, and, given my commenst on the sticky goo problem, I'd give serious thought to using a sealant to protect the blocks and make them that bit easier to clean.

Good luck!

That's great - I'm grateful for the benefit of your experience! Maybe one day I'll be able to answer a posted query!