The Brew Cabin

Hi
Has anyone out there layed marshalls natural stone flags sizes 600 *450 , 450 * 450 , 300 * 450 and got them into any sort of pattern? I intend leaving a wider gap and have gravel infill. I'm pulling out the handfulls of hair trying different ways, any ideas. :confused:
Cheers
Als

I have a random layout using those sizes, and a layout that is a sort-of pattern, but they both rely on standard, 12mm joints, rather than wide, gravel-filled gaps. I haven't published these layouts for commercial reasons, but they are pretty simple.

Email me and I'll see what I can do. :)

If you go to the bradstone garden website (www.bradstone.com/index) there is a free download of a random patio generator that you should be able to play about with. When setting up your design, choose the old riven product to give you the same flag sizes as the Marshalls you are using. The program will automatically generate a pattern and then you can delete/move/nudge individual slabs to give you wider spacings for the gravel infill.

The term 'random patio generator' is a misnomer, as it's not genuinely random - it knocks out the same bloody pattern every time you select the same mix/type of flags. And when it's done, there's still a load of fiddling about to do to get a decent looking effect!

I have v6 here - it's better than its previous incarnations, but it's still hell of a long way from being what it claims to be, ie, a random layout generator.

I agree it could be improved significantly to give you a layout without a load of tramlines and 4 corners meeting from the outset without all the fiddling. But for the DIYer it's got to be easier than starting out with a blank piece of paper & a pencil.

If you think the patio generator is fiddly, have a go with the garden designer program - nightmare!

In my other life as an amateur gardener, I participate in a usenet garden discussion group and the value or otherwise of so-called Garden Designer software is one of the most common FAQs that comes up with mind-numbing regularity. The group (uk.rec.gardening) even has a web-based FAQ page to deal with the question, but it still comes up on an almost weekly basis.

I make no claim to be a garden designer - I like my own garden, but I wouldn't presume to think I could design a garden for anyone else, but I don't believe any software package can offer a design solution for the huge variety of gardens we have in Britain and Ireland without repeating the same, tired, old themes over and over again.

Get yourself a piece of paper and a pencil (or a CAD package if you must use a computer), and spend the money you save on extra plants! :)