New Patio in Great Linford

Great Linford combines an old village centre, with its manor house, church and canal, with newer homes built around it. Many gardens here have mature trees nearby, which bring shade and character but also roots, leaf fall and damp corners. A new patio needs planning around all three.

Roots and digging. Tree roots can lift paving over time, and some trees in the area may be protected. Before we dig, we look at where the main roots are likely to run and keep the patio a sensible distance from larger trees where possible. If a tree may be protected, it is worth checking with Milton Keynes City Council before any work near it.

The base. Once clear of roots, we dig to firm ground and lay a compacted sub-base. Each slab is bedded on full mortar, which spreads the load and stops gaps forming where roots or frost could shift the stone.

Levels and the house. In shady gardens, water can sit on paving longer, so a good fall is important. We set the surface below the damp course and slope it away from the house towards a suitable drainage point, checking the back door threshold as we go.

Where the garden slopes towards the canal or lower ground, a raised patio near the house can give a level, sunny spot, while a sunken patio can create a sheltered seating area out of the wind.

Access and timing. Village gardens can have narrow side access, so we plan how paving comes in and spoil goes out. Most patios take a few days to a week, depending on size and weather.

Placement is worth thinking through carefully in a garden overhung by branches. A patio pushed a few metres out from the house, into a patch that catches afternoon light, often gets far more use than one tucked under a canopy where it stays damp. We will walk the garden with you and talk through where the sun falls at different times of day before marking anything out.

Where a large tree stands close to the house, a slightly smaller patio with a gravel margin around the root zone can be a sensible compromise. It lets air and rain reach the roots, reduces the chance of lifting, and still gives you a firm, level place for a table.