Turf Laying in Abertillery
New Lawns on Prepared Ground
A new lawn in Abertillery is often one small, well-placed rectangle of grass on a level we have made, rather than turf spread over the whole strip.
An Abertillery back garden is typically long, slim and tilted. Behind the terraces stepped up the sides of the Ebbw Fach valley, there may be room for a lawn only a few metres wide, sloping towards or away from the house, with a rear lane at the far end and no way round the side. Putting grass on ground like that is perfectly possible, but it takes a different approach from turfing a flat estate plot.
Tony and the team lay turf across Abertillery, and much of the planning is about two things: making the slope manageable and getting rolls, topsoil and waste in and out. We will visit, look at the garden from both ends and give you a free quote. Our Abertillery landscaping page covers the whole garden, or you can send us some photos to start.
The same six lawn services as on our main turf page, each shaped by a narrow, steep Abertillery plot.
A new lawn in Abertillery is often one small, well-placed rectangle of grass on a level we have made, rather than turf spread over the whole strip.
Old lawns on these terraces tend to have slumped downhill and thinned to moss at the shady end, and relaying them gives us the chance to straighten the gradient.
Soil behind Abertillery terraces can be a shallow layer over stone, ash or builders' rubble, so screened topsoil is often carried in to build a proper root zone.
This is the core of most Abertillery lawn jobs: cutting the slope into one or more flat steps held by retaining walls or sleepers, so the grass is mowable.
Water runs down these gardens towards the house or the lane, so a channel or gravel drain at the foot of each level stops puddles gathering where the lawn ends.
On a very narrow or steep strip, artificial grass laid on a compacted, stepped base gives Abertillery households a green space without dragging a mower up and down.
Where a gentle slope is left in place, we lay the rolls across it, never straight down, and stagger the joins so no seam runs downhill for rain to follow. On steeper faces each roll is pinned with pegs until the roots have gripped. Without that, a heavy downpour in the first week can shift a whole row.
Watering matters too. The top of a slope dries out first, so it needs little and often, while the bottom stays damp for longer. Our local guide to laying turf on a slope in Abertillery covers the method, and caring for new turf in the first six weeks sets out the routine.
Few terraces in Abertillery have a side passage, so everything arrives via the rear lane or through the house. Turf is heavy and has to be laid on the day it comes, so we plan deliveries carefully: the ground is prepared first, topsoil is barrowed or bagged in, and the turf arrives once the bed is ready.
The old grass and spoil leave the same way. We allow for the extra carrying in the quote, so it is not a surprise later. Our article on getting materials into an Abertillery back garden explains how we handle tight access.
In a long Abertillery garden the lane end is often the top or bottom of the slope, so we think about which way the barrows travel. Where it helps, we build the lower walls and levels first, working back towards the access point, so finished ground is never crossed again with heavy loads.
A steep, narrow garden needs someone who plans for the slope and the access from the start.
Valley hillsides are typical work for us, so terracing, pegging and barrow runs are part of normal planning.
If turf will not thrive on a patch, we will tell you, and suggest paving, gravel or planting instead.
The same team builds the levels, the steps between them and the lawn on top.
On a slim plot, a smaller lawn can be the better lawn. One flat square of grass, with a stepped patio in Abertillery or gravel on the steeper parts, is much easier to keep tidy than a sloping strip of turf. Low borders or a clean brick edge stop it spreading into beds and paths.
If you would rather spend weekends enjoying the garden than mowing it, low-maintenance ideas for Abertillery back gardens weighs up the choices, including whether to have grass at all.
Children and dogs change the sums. If the lawn is where the family plays, it is worth giving it the flattest, sunniest level in the garden and a hard-wearing turf, even if that means a little more wall-building. A worn patch on a slope never recovers as well as one on the level, because rain washes the loose soil away before new grass can fill it.
Real reviews from homeowners across Abertillery — rated 4.8 out of 5 on Google from 69 reviews and 10/10 on Checkatrade.
“Had my patio done by the company and could not be happier. Top quality work done and quickly too.”
“I was pleased to find Tony and his lads were absolutely great! Tony responded quickly & was very polite.”
“We were delighted with the work and materials, which were of very high quality. Tony and team helped us.”
Local and practical guides to help you plan the work.
One team for the whole garden, so a single visit can price everything you have in mind.
We cover Abertillery and the towns around it. Choose another area below.
T J Landscapes South Wales
24 Conway Road, Pontypool
Torfaen, NP4 6HL
We cover homes right across South Wales, from Cardiff and the coast up to the valleys and the Brecon Beacons.
Grass will grow on most slopes, but mowing a steep bank is awkward and it dries out quickly. We often suggest levelling one section for a proper lawn and planting or paving the rest.
Yes. We bring everything through the house with floors protected, and take the waste out the same way. It takes longer, which we build into the quote.
The size, the gradient, any retaining walls or sleepers, topsoil, drainage and how far everything is carried. Our guide on preparing ground for turf explains the work involved; contact us for a free quote.
Real turf suits a sunny level you can mow easily. Artificial grass can make more sense on a very small, shady or steep patch. Our article on turf or seed also helps if you are weighing up a real lawn.
Yes, and it is often sensible. We put up the new fencing in Abertillery first, then lay the turf last so it is not trampled.
Tell us how steep and wide the garden is, and whether we can reach it from a rear lane or only through the house.