Replacing concrete with gravel

[Barker]

We're going to rip out some old cracked concrete along the side of our house. We don't want to have it all as garden as it needs to be a thoroughfare and I'd be worried it would be too muddy. It's also a bit of a slope so I don't want everything getting washed down to the bottom.

Thinking about these two options. Anyone got any thoughts?

Granitic sand - seems to be a popular choice for driveways, nature strips and pathways. Can be compacted but wouldn't let much water through. 

Toscano gravel - would be more porous and wouldn't be washed away by rain.

Thanks,

Drew

[Isobel]

I've seen the granitic sand used and it can look really good. 

Here's a great example of being used with crazy paving:

[Barker]

Looks like we will go with the granitic sand but have been warned of a few things that I thought I'd share in case others are considering it.

It can get a little dirty looking, so if you have a garden bed nearby you'd want to have sleepers as boarders. And might not be the best solution if you have lots of leaves dropping on the area. But if it is nice and compacted you can sweep it. 

Because there's clay in it, it can contract and compact with the weather. If you have (particularly large) pavers on it then they could crack with this movement. 

Don't put it directly next to an indoor entrance as it will get dragged into the house, creating mess and potentially scratching timber floors. 

Drew

[Jackson]

Hey @Barker - have you thought about using Lilydale toppings? The colour profile is a bit different to the two examples you used above, but it is a pretty popular alternative to concrete or paving.

[Barker]

Thanks Jackson, I will look into Lilydale toppings. We were thinking the sand-like colours to go with the brickwork. 

The concrete got ripped up yesterday and some roadbase has gone down as a temporary measure and a foundation for whatever we choose.

Here's a shot of the space. We're thinking of planting directly into the sand. 

Drew