Hello
, I have landscaped an open area of about 70 square meters in front of
our house. We are north facing on the north side of a tall hill which
is heavily forested with tall ash trees.
From mid Oct. to mid March that patch gets no sun.
I had settled on a Thames flint which is light in colour but will not
grow algae on its surface. Now my supplier tells me the quarry has
closed
and that product is no no longer available.
Dorset flint is much too orange in colour to match the stone of the
cottage and the stone in the walls and terracing adjacent to the area.
Can anyone suggest a method of choosing a gravel which will not grow
algae ?
There is a light granite available...thinking that might be ok. Also
a light Yorkshire product which appears to be a mix
of flint and something else which no one can identify.
The use of different names across the country for similar products
does not help.
The supplier tells me that each quarry has staff who can quote
characteristics relative to the main uses of their products, which are
largely road building, but
seem to know nothing about this market which is for their by-
products.
That seems likely, but is of no help to me.
There are few folk in a similar position to ourselves in this area
where the requirements might be the same.

Any observations/tips/pointers/ links would be greatly appreciated.

David Gilliland, Clevedon, near Bristol, North Somerset.

On Oct 31, 6:58*pm, gilli wrote:
Hello
, I have landscaped an open area of about 70 square meters in front of
our house. We are north facing on the north side of a tall hill which
is heavily forested with tall ash trees.
From mid Oct. to mid March that patch gets no sun.
*I had settled on a Thames flint which is light in colour but will not
grow algae on its surface. Now my supplier tells me the quarry has
closed
and that product is no no longer available.
*Dorset flint is much too orange in colour to match the stone of the
cottage and the stone in the walls and terracing adjacent to the area.
Can anyone suggest a method of choosing a gravel which will not grow
algae ?
There is a light granite available...thinking that might be ok. *Also
a light Yorkshire product which appears to be a mix
of flint and something else which no one can identify.
The use of different names across the country for similar products
does not help.
*The supplier tells me that each quarry has staff who can quote
characteristics relative to the main uses of their products, which are
largely road building, but
seem to know nothing about this market which is for their by-
products.
That seems likely, but is of no help to me.
There are few folk in a similar position to ourselves in this area
where the requirements might be the same.

Any observations/tips/pointers/ links would be greatly appreciated.

David Gilliland, Clevedon, near Bristol, North Somerset.


I wouldn't worry too much. It will end up green (algy) what ever you
start off as. Algy will grow on virtually any shady surface.
Gardening in the shade is a very specialist business. Lots of stuff
won't grow.