The Pleasures Of Gardening

You also need to consider the scale of your chosen materials. One school of thought says that it is best to use the largest possible size of slabs in a small area because that results in fewer joints. The effect of this will be that the space will look less 'busy' and so it will feel larger. The other view is that where space is limited, very large units will look out of proportion, which will make the area look even smaller, while more compact units, especially if laid in a simple unfussy pattern, can make the space feel larger.

Certainly, more compact units are easier to lay, since you will need to do less cutting to make them fit. If you are planning to do the work yourself, then it is well worth basing the layout on the dimensions of your chosen materials wherever possible to avoid having to cut any at all. One point to bear in mind is that if the design you have chosen involves curves or circles, you will find small units much easier to work with than larger ones.

Sparkling glass, light-as-air effect

Glass marbles or florists' nuggets are an attractive way of using glass in the garden. To replace our two paving slabs, we used a design of flame-colored and yellow 'spaghetti' marbles (clear marbles with strings of color in the centre), surrounded by small yellow and white crystal marbles.

Work out roughly how many marbles you will need from their diameter. Use a cement-based tile adhesive suitable for exterior use, and you'll have plenty of time to lay the marbles before the adhesive begins to set. Be sure to use white adhesive rather than gray.

The easiest patterns consist of marbles laid in rows, but if you want a more complex pattern, it's best to make a simple template. Cut a piece of polystyrene the same size as the space left by the slab. Draw your pattern on the polystyrene, cut along the edges of the design with a craft knife and remove the section you plan to fill first. Lay the template with the appropriate section removed over the space to be filled.

Mix up the adhesive, fill the space about two-thirds deep, then press the marbles into it. From time to time, lay a plank of wood over your work and press down gently until the ends of the plank are flat on the neighboring slabs to ensure the mosaic is flush. When you have finished a section, leave the adhesive to set for ten minutes or so, then gently ease the template off. You may need to run a sharp knife around the edges to make sure it lifts off cleanly. Leave the adhesive to set completely overnight.

Next day mix up more adhesive and fill in the remaining spaces. Once it has set completely, scrub the marbles with an old toothbrush or nail brush to remove any stray adhesive.

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