Key Advantages of Using Slate in Your Garden

If you have a home improvement project on the go, then slate is one of the most versatile of stones you can use. Roof tiles, bases for snooker tables, counter tops in the kitchen, fire hearths, even tables and chairs – the list is almost endless. And that’s before you consider how you can use it in your garden as well.

Madingley Mulch supply a range of slate chippings for gardens in Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and across East Anglia. Here we look at how slate is formed, the uses you can put it to in your garden – and how you should prepare the area before you lay any chippings down.

 

How Slate is Formed

Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogenous metamorphic rock. This is created from a shale or mudstone sedimentary rock. This sedimentary material forms a shale which is typically composed of clay, volcanic ash and quartz, with a small percentage of other minerals.

The colour of your slate chippings is determined by the amount and type of iron and organic material present in the rock. Converting the slabs of slate into chippings is usually achieved by using heavy-duty machinery to split it, then crush it into specific sizes and grades.

 

It’s Extremely Versatile

Slate has a range of uses in your garden. Instead of using paving slabs, you can use the chippings on your paths and driveways. This will certainly make the area stand out from any surrounding flower beds (or the lawn); and the crunch they make underfoot will warn you of any visitors.

The chippings can also be used as a mulch – they can help to suppress weed growth by blocking sunlight and making it difficult for weeds to take root in your garden. They will also keep the soil relatively cool. However, the chippings won’t naturally improve the soil in the same way that other conditioners do.

Slate can also be used in water features – such as a waterfall, or in a pond – its qualities mean it won’t erode rapidly despite the constant contact with water.

 

It’s Low Maintenance

Slate chippings are ideal for a gardener who hasn’t got much spare time, but still wants to create a different look. They won’t need mowing, cutting or pruning. They are also much lighter and easier to lay than some of the alternatives such as paving slabs.

Slate won’t need replacing or replenishing as regularly compared to other soil conditioners and composts; it’s also pet- and animal-proof, compared to many other garden aggregates and mulches. Birds won’t be digging it up to get at worms and insects, and cats won’t be tempted to use it as a personal toilet.

And the chippings, if laid to a sufficient depth, should be heavy enough to withstand any strong winds and so they won’t be picked up and deposited in another part of the garden during storms.

 

It’s Very Striking

Slate chippings look great in any setting – and there’s usually plenty of colours, sizes and textures to choose from as well. Even in extreme weather (particularly heavy rain) they won’t deteriorate – and it usually goes a slightly darker hue when it’s wet.

 

Preparing the Area

There are a few steps you should take before laying down any slate chippings. First, dig out any weeds and remove any debris from the area, then rake the soil out. If you are creating a new path or driveway, or any area which is likely to have a significant amount of footfall, you should dig down to a depth of around 10cm. This will give you the depth to lay down a sub-base of crushed stone or gravel.

If your chippings aren’t going to be walked on much (for instance if you are using it as a flower bed mulch) then you only need to dig down to around 5cm. However, it may be worth purchasing a weed suppressing membrane before you lay the chippings on top.

As a final step, make sure your chippings are spread evenly by raking them out.

 

Slate Chippings for Gardens in Hertfordshire from Madingley Mulch

At Madingley Mulch, we stock blue, green and plum-coloured slate chippings in either 20mm or 40mm sizes (the smaller of the two sizes may be a better choice if the chippings are likely to be walked on regularly). To check out our prices, follow this link.

We also stock weed suppressing membrane at our Cambridge base – as well as garden edging stones if you want to ensure that the chippings stay within the flower bed or driveway. And if you need a sub-base, we stock MOT Type 1 aggregates, which should be suitable for whatever you are using your chippings for.

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