Shirley's inter-war and later family homes are known for long back gardens, and a long garden is a gift for a patio builder. There is room for a terrace by the house, a path down the middle and perhaps a second sitting area at the far end. We design and build all of it across B90.
We begin with a walk around the plot, listening to what you want and noting levels, sun and access. Then we suggest a plan, show samples and agree the details with you, so the finished garden matches what you had in mind.
A very long lawn can feel like a corridor. Breaking it up with a patio near the house, a path and a smaller paved spot further down creates different places to be. We often suggest a gently curving or stepped layout, so you are drawn along the garden instead of simply looking down it. Shirley gardens suit this well. We can sketch it first.
Paths matter more than people expect. In wet weather, a firm route from the back door to the shed or the compost keeps shoes and the lawn clean. We lay them in matching or complementary paving, on the same solid base as the patio, so they stay level and do not sink into the turf. It also makes mowing noticeably easier. Straight or curved, the choice is yours.
The larger the paved area, the more water it sheds, so careful groundwork is essential. We excavate, compact a sub-base in layers and lay the paving with a fall that carries rain away from the house and onto the lawn or to a drain. Skimping here shows up as puddles and uneven slabs. We never rush this part of the job. Check each stage with us.
Along a long garden the levels can drift, so we check them at every stage and adjust as we go. Joints are pointed firmly, edges are cut tidily against borders and steps, and old paving and spoil are taken away. A Shirley garden should look finished the day we leave. That is the standard we work to. Ask us anything. We would rather be thorough than quick.
Many Shirley gardens have conifers and hedges along the sides, which give privacy but also shade and drop needles on paving. We plan the patio around them and can cut back anything that is in the way first. We also cover Hall Green, Solihull, Monkspath and Dorridge, so get in touch if you are in one of those areas.
Based in Hall Green, so we are never far from the gardens we work in.
We look at the job before we price it, so you know what is involved.
Branches, clippings and rubbish from our jobs are cleared and the garden left tidy.
Call, or send photos on WhatsApp, and we will come back to you.
Patio ConstructionSandstone-look paving with dark block edging and new fence panels transformed a small Droitwich terrace garden, shown part-finished.
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Patio ConstructionA bare Cradley Heath back garden turned into a raised sandstone-look patio with brick edge, rolled turf and a pebble border.
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Patio ConstructionA narrow Birmingham back garden given a stone-look paved edge and a new artificial lawn, shown from bare ground to finished.
View project →From our base in Hall Green we work across Birmingham, the Black Country, Solihull and parts of Worcestershire. Choose your area.
It depends how you use the space. One large patio suits entertaining, while a second small seating area at the far end catches evening sun. We can mark out both options so you can see the difference. Neither is wrong.
Not if it is finished properly. We cut the edges cleanly and set the paving slightly below the turf where suitable, so a mower can pass over the edge. Roots and soil are tidied up when we finish.
We will tell you when we finish. Paving laid on a bedding layer is usually walkable fairly soon, but the joints and any mortar need time to set, and we explain what to avoid until then. Please ask us first.
Tell us what needs doing and where. We will get back to you to arrange a visit and a free, no-obligation quote. Photos sent on WhatsApp help.
