Here at The Stone and Garden Company, We know that you want a unique garden so we are constantly trying to think of new ways to inspire you. This time we have a self-lighting path ready for those dark, winter evenings rolling in. What you'll need:

• A spade
• A rubber mallet
• A wheel barrow
• A shovel
• Tarpaulin
• Weed control membrane
• Weed control fixing pegs
• Bricks or Cobbles
• Gravel
• Rope lighting

Method:

First of all you need to dig out the length, depth and width of your path. We suggest that you use your wheelbarrow to move what you dig up to the bin or tarpaulin. This will help to keep your garden clean and leave less mess for you to clean up later on.

Once you have dug out your path, you need to start to lay your weed control membrane. You will need to fix the weed control membrane in place using the weed control fixing pegs so that when you get to laying the gravel, it does not move.

The next step is to use your bricks to create the path border. We suggest that you lay your bricks side ways as this cuts down on the amount of bricks needed. To secure each brick in place, tap the tops and sides to get them as close together as possible as well as getting the close to the path edge.

Now it is time to lay your gravel. Start by shoveling the gravel in to the middle of the path, making sure you distribute it evenly.

Now you have a choice. If you want your rope lighting to light up your entire path then follow step six and by pass step eight. If you just want the edges of your path to light up then jump to step seven.

When you have filled your path three quarters full with gravel, it is time to put your rope lighting in place. Take your rope lighting and lay it however you want from one end of the path to the other, making sure there are no large areas that will not be lit up.

Now continue to lay the gravel as before. when all the gravel is down you need to level it off so that it is all roughly at one level.

Next it is time to add your rope lighting to the edges of your path. You may need to secure your rope lighting in place at either end and at various points in between. You can do this with a piece of metal wire. Cut a section of wire large enough to wrap around your rope lighting and be twisted in the middle. Wrap it around your lighting and twist the loose ends together. Finally, push the twisted ends deep in to the ground and your lighting will be secured.

That's it. Your path is now complete and should be looking fabulous. Why don't you send us your images to [email protected] and they might even get featured on our website.

Here at The Stone and Garden Company, we believe in inspiring you to do something with your garden. That's why we have such a large variety of products available to you. This blog will be more of a do it yourself blog to building a gorgeous, rustic fire pit ready for those cold nights coming in. Like the sound of that? Well let's get started...

What You'll Need:

- Red or Grey Building sand

- Cement (please contact for prices)

- Rockery 

Tools You'll Need:

- Shovel

- Wheelbarrow

- Pointing Tool

- Cement mixer (Large Bucket and a wooden stick)

-Gloves and Goggles

First of all, you need to decide where you want your fire pit, we suggest somewhere quiet and with enough space around it for seating. Once you have decided where to put it, it's time for phase 2, digging the pit out.Method:

1. When digging out the fire pit you need to think about what shape you want the pit but also how deep into the ground you want to go. We recommend that you go at least 4 inches below the grass level. Once you have dug it out, you need to mix some cement.
2. Once thoroughly mixed, the cement needs to be carefully poured in to the pit. Make sure you only fill it half full as the rockery will bring that to the top when placed in. The cement in the bottom of the pit is used as a bottom for the fire pit, however, it also keeps the rockery steady when they are first placed in the pit.
3. Now, loosely cover the work from the previous steps so that if it rains while the cement is setting it will not affect your fire pit. YOU NEED TO LEAVE THE CEMENT TO SET FOR A FEW DAYS. DO NOT LET CHILDREN OR PETS NEAR THE PIT.
4. Once the cement has set, it's time so carefully start building the fire pit wall. For this you need to have some cement ready mixed and your first layer of rockery close by. Your first layer will be difficult but as you go along you will find it easier.
5. Take some cement and place it on top of a base layer rock (a base layer rock is a rock that is held in with the cement at the bottom). Now carefully and slowly add another rock on top of the cement. When you feel comfortable that the rock will stay upright on it's own then you can let go. (The first couple of attempts will be trial and error but after 3 or 4 rocks being placed, you will know when to let go)
6. Continue the previous step until your entire first layer is down. Once again leave this to set, however it will not require as long as the first time.
7. Repeat steps five, six and seven until you are happy with the height of the fire pit.
8. You now have a choice of how to finish your fire pit. You can, A, leave it as is with a nice angular top, or B, add a final layer of cement and smooth it over to form a nice ledge.

The Stone and Garden Company believe every garden should be unique. That's why we are constantly looking for new ideas to share with you to make your garden special.

Mosaic Stepping Stone

In this blog we are going to be showing you how to make your own mosaic tile stepping stones like the one in the picture. You could do them in any shape, size and colour to suit you.

You will need:

- Cake tins (a variation in size and shape is up to you)                         - Grease proof paper (cut to fit the size of your tin)                               - Mosaic tiles (alternatively you could use broken glass/crockery or pebbles)                                                                                                                     - A damp cloth                                                                                                              - Petroleum jelly                                                                                                         - Wire mesh (chicken wire will do)                                                                    - Wire cutters                                                                                                                                                                            - Trowel                                                                                                                                                                                      - A large bucket                                                                                                                                                                      - Building sand (red or grey)                                                                                                                                         - Cement                                                                                                                                                                                    - Gravel

Method:

First of all you need to take any unbroken glass or crockery that you want to use and wrap it in a tea towel. Hitting it with a hammer will break up what is inside the tea towel.

Next, line your cake tins with the grease proof paper. If you want a specific pattern on your stepping stones then this can be drawn on to the grease proof paper. Now arrange your pieces of crockery and glass in to a pattern that you are happy with. (What you will see as you do this is the back of the stepping stone that will be covered by concrete)

Now it's time to mix your concrete. For this you need to follow a rule. For one part cement you need two parts sand and four parts gravel.

For the next step you need to cut a square of wire mesh that is smaller than the tin it is going in. You also need to use the petroleum jelly to grease the sides of your tin. Doing this will make removing your completed stepping stone easier.

Next, take your trowel and with it put some of the concrete mix in to the cake tin with your pattern. This layer of concrete needs to be 1 inch thick (or halfway up the side of your cake tin). Once you have the first layer on

concrete in add the wire mesh that you previous cut. By adding the wire mesh, you are helping to strengthen the stone just that little bit more.

Now add another layer of concrete to the tin. This layer should also be 1 inch thick (or thick enough to fill the rest of the tin).

This next step is one of the easiest steps of all. Leave the stepping stone for approximately 2 days to set. It's should be left to set in a warm dry place.

When the stepping stone is set, you need to lift the tin and lightly tap the bottom to release the stepping stone.

You will need to slowly remove the grease proof paper so that it doesn't rip and get stuck to your stepping stone.

Finally, use a damp cloth to remove any jelly that is left stuck to the sides of your stepping stone and then that's it, you are done.

We hope you enjoyed this step by step guide to making your own mosaic stepping stone. Why not send us images of your stepping stones to show us how you got on?

Here at The Stone and Garden Company, we offer a wide variety of Gravel and Granite that can be used for paths, borders and edgings, flower beds and general coverage. Two products that we highly recommend are the 10mm Polar White and the 10mm Red Granite.

10mm Polar White

Our 10mm Polar White gravel (also known as White Spar) is taken from the quarries of Spain. If you like a contemporary feel to your garden or your garden is quite dark then this is the product for you. Because Polar White is a bright white, it immediately brightens up any space. Plus, it adds a touch of class with the way it sparkles when wet and dry. Why not show off that white sparkle some more and lay the Polar White next to one of our Slate products...

While this product is great for borders and edgings, please bear in mind that Polar White should not be used to go around ponds or be used to cover the bottom of the pond as this gravel is not suitable for use around fish.

10mm Red Granite

Our 10mm Red Granite is great for those darker gardens too with it's natural red colouring. However, here at Stone and Garden we also offer a Green Granite, just in case the red isn't for you.  Red Granite is an excellent product to use if you are on a budget and need something low maintenance and very durable. The only maintenance needed is a quick rake every now and then just to even it out again. So it's a minimal cost for great, long term results. Red Granite looks great wet or dry.

A few added bonus's from  Red Granite are that it can be used as a mulch around flow beds which restricts the growth of weeds but also allows the soil to retain any moisture. It also improves the drainage.

Red Granite also protects your property because it creates a crunching sound when walked or driven upon, alerting you to what's going on outside of your home.

Our 10mm Polar White comes in Bulk Bags of 850KG (priced at £126) and a pallet of 42 x 20KG Handy Bags (priced at £160). Our 10mm Red Granite also comes in Bulk Bags of 850KG (priced at £126). We also offer Loose Loads (contact us for more information). However, please be aware that variation will occur between the products. We recommend that when laying the Polar White or Red Granite, it is laid at a depth of 3-4cm. We recommend this because any less than 3-4cm will leave visible gaps when the gravel is walked or driven upon. If you are unsure as to the quantity you need then why not use our FREE Quantity Calculator.

Weed Control Membrane

We recommend laying a Weed Control Membrane down before your Gravel or Granite as this helps to further reduce the risk of weeds coming up through the gravel. Here at the Stone and Garden Company, our Weed Control Membrane and Pegs are on offer at 50% OFF!

Delivery

At Stone and Garden, we offer a FREE 2-3 day delivery service to most UK postcodes. However, we also offer a variety of offer delivery services for a small cost. This includes Next Day and Pre-12pm delivery. The cost will differ depending on where the product is being delivered to. We recommend reading our delivery policy here or giving us a call. Our deliveries run 8am-5pm  Monday-Friday via pallet network. All deliveries are made by a tail-lift vehicle and the pallets are moved by a Hand Pump Truck.

We believe that every one should at least try to grow their own food at least once. That's why here at The Stone and Garden Company, we sell only the best vegetable topsoil to help you establish and develop your crops.

One thing everyone eats a lot of is potatoes. That's why today we are showing you that even in a small space you can grow your own potatoes.

 What you will need:

• A 25 litre tub
• A large composting bin
• One or two ORGANIC potatoes (what variety you prefer)
• Vegetable topsoil

Method:

First of all, you need to take your potatoes and allow them to sprout. Do not store the potatoes in plastic bags as they need to breath. They also need to be kept warm so keep them at room temperature, making sure that the temperature does not fall below 10ºC as this will cause them to rot and turn to mush.

Once the potatoes have started to sprout, prepare the tub for them to go into. Drill holes in the bottom of the 25 litre tub and fill with moistened soil. Now take the potatoes and push them into the soil whilst making sure the tops are exposed. This is your "slip nursery" - an intermediate between your cupboards and the composting bin.

Before long, your sprouts will be rocketing out of your potatoes. When they are ready to plant, they should look something like this:

Pull these sprouts and transplant them, six at a time, in to the composting bin. (Remember to drill holes in the bottom for drainage and fill with moistened soil.)

If you are growing your potatoes outside, you will need to have a growing season of 100 days at least. This growing period can be extended by starting to grow he potatoes indoors.

Never let the soil that you are using to grow your potatoes get below 10ºC (as mentioned before, if it gets below this level then the potatoes will rot and turn into mush).

NOTE: The best time to plant your shoots is after the last frost when the soil has warmed up.

Now it is time to harvest your potatoes. You can use one of two methods to harvest your potatoes depending on how moist your soil is. One way to harvest the potatoes is to put your hand in and have a feel for some potatoes. When you find them pull them out. If the soil is too moist, you can get a gardening trowel and a pair of gloves and, as before, have a feel for the potatoes that way.

Once you have washed the potatoes, they need to be kept in a warm, humid environment for two weeks. (In this case warm means 27ºC). This cures the potatoes, encouraging them to create a protective layer of something called Suberin. This protects the potatoes so that you can keep them in storage at room temperature for anything up to one year.

NOTE: Your yearly yield will vary depending on the type of potatoes you want to grow. It will also vary depending on the growing conditions of the potatoes.

At the Stone and Garden Company Cotswold Chippings is one of our top sellers as we offer both the 10mm Cotswold and 20mm Cotswold sizes. The Cotswold Chippings are also known as Cotswold Buff and Buff Limestone.  Cotswold chippings are made out of hard limestone and come in all different shapes and sizes. The Cotswold Chippings are a naturally quarried material and have a crisp and clean look to them. They are a cream coloured and angular stone which are very versatile as they have many different uses.

20mm Cotswold Chippings

Uses

The typical uses for Cotswold Chippings are driveways, pathways and decorative use around beds and borders. At Stone and Garden we would recommend that the 20mm size would be the best suited for driveway as the 10mm size is most likely to get stuck in to tyre treads. When it comes to pathways or decorative uses around beds and borders it is entirely your decision. Some of our existing customers have recently purchased the Cotswold Chippings to use as a dressing for pots and planters to add style. When purchasing Cotswold Chippings why not lay some weed control membrane down before laying the chippings. Weed control membrane will stop those weeds coming up through the chippings. Currently at Stone and Garden we have an excellent offer on to all customers purchasing a bulk bag you receive 50% of all weed control membrane and fixing pegs.

Advantages

The Cotswold Chippings are one of the top sellers and the reasons being are the Cotswold Chippings are a material with many different uses. They offer a clean and crisp finish to driveway, pathway or decorative beds and borders. The Cotswold Chippings are a low maintenance material but in the future they will need topping up with some more. The Cotswold are a popular choice for driveways as when people are approaching under the pressure they make a crunching noises, making you aware of any uninvited visitors. It is a cheap material but a high quality one, along with being durable.

Size 

The Cotswold Chippings are available in bulk bags and pre packed 20kg handy bags. Loose loads are available but must contact the sales team at free phone  0800 0832 853. A bulk bag contains 850kg and the 10mm Cotswold Chippings and 20mm Cotswold Chippings are priced at £78. A full pallet of 42 x 20kg pre packed bags is priced at £114. If you are undecided why not order a sample at £3 a sample.

Delivery

At Stone and Garden we offer FREE economy delivery  (2-3 days) to most UK postcodes. Also available are our premium delivery services that we offer are Next Day (overnight service), Economy pre 10am, Economy pre 12am, Next Day pre 10am, Next Day pre 12am and finally Saturday  AM service. All these delivery methods will come at an extra charge. All deliveries are made via Tail-Lift vehicles, we do not use HI-AB so the bags cannot be lifted over walls or hedges. All products are delivered on a pallet and moved via a hand pump truck. Hand pump trucks will not operate on gravel or any soft ground.

Gravel Calculator

Stuck on the quantity you need, why not try are amazing gravel calculator where by entering the length and width and the depth of the are you are wanting to cover the gravel calculator will tell you how many bulk bags and tonnes you need. If not contact the sales team via phone at free phone 0800 0832 853 or email at [email protected]

At the Stone and Garden Company, we supply 10mm Golden Gravel and 20mm Golden Gravel to customers nationally and locally. Golden Gravel  is a flint shaped gravel, its a mix of brown, gold, yellow and cream adding a lovely colour to your driveway, pathway or bed and borders however you want to use it. Golden Gravel can also be called Yellow Shingle and Corn or Solent Gravel.

If your looking to use Golden Gravel for a driveway at the Stone and Garden Company we recommend that 20mm Golden Gravel would be the most suited as the 10mm Golden Gravel is likely to get stuck in your tyre treads. The 10mm Golden Gravel  is an ideal solution for landscaping areas such as garden paths, around patios and paving or for general groundcover, it brings a real touch of quality. More recently our existing customers have began to use the Golden Gravels as a dressing for pots and planters to add a little extra character.

Here at the Stone and Garden Company we know that you don't want to spend all of your time and money on trying to make your garden look great, which is why we recommend Golden Gravel. It's popular because of how it looks but also because it's relatively cheap and really low maintenance. It also doesn't move like a smaller gravel would so if you use it on a driveway, you can rest assure that it will still look great in 5 years time and it's hard wearing, which means no tiny fragments breaking off and getting stuck in your tyre tread.

In recent times our customers have been thrilled with the quality and price of golden gravel as, Mrs Wilson left a review,

'Excellent low price and amazing quality. My garden path is looking fantastic. Thank you for the service.'

Carl H also left a review,

'Good quality material competitive prices, and excellent service, thanks again.'

Golden Gravel at the Stone and Garden company is available in Bulk Bags of 850kg and pre packed 20kg handy bags. A full pallet of pre packed 20kg handy bags is 42 x 20kg. A bulk bag of 850kg will cover an area of 12 square metres at a depth of 3-4cm which we recommend at the Stone and Garden Company.

Stuck on the quantity you need? Why not try are amazing gravel calculator where by entering the length, width and the depth of the are you are wanting to cover the gravel calculator will tell you how many bulk bags or weight you need. If not contact the sales team via phone on our Freephone 0800 0832 853 or email  [email protected]

At the Stone and Garden Company our deliveries run 8am-5pm  Monday-Friday and Saturday AM via pallet network. All deliveries are made by a tail-lift vehicle and the pallets are moved by a Hand Pump Truck. The delivery services available are the Economy 2-3 day service which is usually Free to most UK, next day service and Saturday deliveries will come at a small surcharge. There is the option to select and personalise the delivery date on our one page checkout which is so simple and quick to navigate through to place your order.

Hexapath is a ground reinforcement grid ideal for use on driveways, pathways, stable grass areas and many more. These strong interlocking plastic grids provide a strong sturdy base for supporting gravelled areas or grass infills. Made from 100% recycled polypropylene, each piece is fully recyclable. Each segment of the Hexapath is 52 x 48cm in size with a depth of 4.5cms. It takes four segments to make up one square metre making them relatively straight forward to install. These grids have numerous amounts of benefits, some of which include: they are 100% environmentally friendly, weather resistant and once installed they provide you a completely free of charge drainage system.

Using this ground reinforcement method is proven to be a cost effective solution when laying gravel, as the structure of the cells will retain the gravel, stopping it from scattering once walked on or driven on. With this in mind, using the Hexapath will exclude any costs of replacing any lost gravel. Once installed the area should be maintenance free.

Below is a step by step instructions guideline as to how we would recommend you install the Hexapath grids. We have designed this method to produce the best results possible.

1. In preparation for laying your Hexapath firstly you will need to clear the site you will be working on and applying the Hexapath too, making sure the ground is to the desired incline and is relatively flat. For a gravel fill the incline should be no more than 11º.
2. We recommend you to use an MOT Type 1 sub base at around 80-100mm depth to give you adequate drainage. The sub base should be compact and sturdy before you move on to the next step.
3. Next we suggest bedding a layer of Sharp Sand at around 2-3cm depth. This should also be compact.
4. You are now ready to start fitting your Hexapath. Place one grid to the side of the other and push together, securely locking them in place. Repeat this step for each segment until you have covered your entire area.
5. The Hexapath pavers can be filled with a gravel or granite of your choice for an attractive looking surface. You can either fill the Grids to the top of the cells or you can also add a topping layer of gravel covering the grids completely, but only to the depth of the grade of gravel used.
6. When vehicle traffic will be coming into contact with the Hexapath grids, we recommend that you have a kerbed edge to prevent the grids from impact damage around the edges. This could be achieved by using edging/ kerb stone.

For any further information regarding the Hexapath Ground Reinforcement Grids please contact a member of our sales team on: 0800 0832 853 where we will be happy to answer any questions you have.

Hexapath Grids with Gravel infill

Here at The Stone and Garden Company, we like to inspire you to do do things yourself and be creative so today, we'll be giving you a step by step guide on how to make these gorgeous garden stones that can be used for a path.

What you will need:

• Sand
• Cement
• Water
• A bucket or wheelbarrow
• Spray cooking oil
• Cocktail sticks or letter stamps
• Old butter tubs

Method:

First of all, make sure all your butter tubs are a similar shape and size as this will affect the stones and how they look in the path.

Next, mix up the amount of concrete you need (usually 1 part cement to 2 parts sand). Make sure that your concrete mix is thick enough to hold it's shape.

Oil the tubs using a spray oil as this will stop the concrete from sticking to the sides of the tubs and will make it easier to remove when set. Now fill the tubs all to the same desired height and leave off the tops.

Leave the concrete to set for around half an hour, however, don't leave it so long that you can't stamp or write on the bricks.

The next step is to take your letter stamps or cocktail sticks and write out what you want. You can buy the letter stamps from most craft shops. Wet each letter or cocktail stick before using it as that will help you write neater in the concrete. One idea we have had is to take favourite quotes or song lyrics and have them making up your path.

Finally, you need to leave the bricks to set. This will take around 24 hours all in all but do not disturb them as this could slow down the setting process.

How to lay your new path:

You will need:

• A shovel
• A Wheelbarrow
• A hand tamper
• A rubber mallet
• A sweeping brush
• 40mm Type 1
•  Sand (for underneath and around the stones)

Method:

First of all, you need to dig out the depth of the path ready for the 40mm Type 1 to go down.  The depth of the path can vary depending on how large you made your stones.

Once you have dug out the pathway, lay 1-2 inches of the 40mm Type 1 and spread evenly along the length of the path. Use the hand tamper to compact the type 1 to form a hard base.

Now it's time to lay the sand for the stones to sit on. You need to put the sand on top of the type 1 and smooth flat so that a thick, sturdy base is created.

Now it's time to start laying your path. Take your first stone and, with the rubber mallet, lightly tap it into place so that it can stand by itself. Do this with all of your stones, making sure that they are all level and each one can stand alone.

Shovel some of the sand on top of the stones and using the sweeping brush, brush the sand in to the joints of the stones. Then wet the top of the stones to settle to sand.

Finally brush some more sand into the joints of the stones and wet again.

Your path is now complete.

At the Stone and Garden Company we offer only the Best Quality Bark. The two varieties of bark we stock are Play Bark and Ornamental Bark. Bark is made from pine tree's where the bark is stripped from the logs and chipped, the material is finally graded into 5-40mm chippings.

Uses Of Bark

Play Bark

Bark can be used for a children's play area in this case the Play Bark would be the suitable product for this use. Bark is a very popular choice for play areas as it creates a soft landing if a child happens fall over or trip over. Bark is ideal for many applications in and around gardens and landscaping, its great for mulching around flower beds, rockeries and looks especially attractive when laid around the base of trees. Bark can also be used for driveways as when under pressure it binds together in order to stay putt and firm.

Benefits Of Using Bark

Bark is a material which is low cost as at the Stone and Garden we offer Play Bark at £98 per bulk bag and Ornamental Bark at £90 per bulk bag.  Bark is a lightweight material and is easy to lay. Bark is an excellent material with regards to drainage as it absorbs water sufficiently which is what you want for a driveway, pathway or child's play area.

The Ornamental Bark would be the suitable choice to use when creating a pathway or around beds and borders. As bark blends in with the natural colours and textures of the landscape.

Both Ornamental and Play Bark at Stone and Garden are not manufactured with any harmful products which could cause damage to the environment or yourself. Also the bark will inhibit any weed development which will reduce the ongoing maintenance of the driveway, pathway or whatever the use of the bag may be. Bark will also improve moisture retention which will make bark an excellent material to have in and around beds and borders. Bark is a material that has great insulation as it reduces the loss of plant life during the winter and cold weather. Therefore another reason for why bark would be a suitable material to have in and around your beds and borders.

Bag Sizes

The Stone & Gardens Ornamental and Play Bark are available in Bulk Bags. Our bulk bags are approximately 700 litres. 1 Bulk Bag will roughly cover an area of 3 square metres at a depth of 20-30cm which is what recommend at The Stone and Garden Company Ltd.

Delivery

At Stone and Garden we offer FREE economy (2-3 day) service to most UK postcodes along with a number of different delivery services. The  premium delivery services we offer are Next Day (overnight service), Economy pre 10am, Economy pre 12am, Next Day pre 10am, Next Day pre 12am and finally Saturday  AM service. All these delivery methods will come at an extra charge. All deliveries are made via Tail-Lift vehicles, we do not use HI-AB so the bags cannot be lifted over walls or hedges. All products are delivered on a pallet and moved via a hand pump truck. Hand pump trucks will not operate on gravel or any soft ground.