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My new house comes with a large area of paving. I have covered 50% of this with a gazebo for storage and as a dry workshop area. The remainder I am using as a small patio area for the bbq and and chiminea. Even with some pots added, the paving looks ugly as it is those 900 x 600mm riven concrete slabs favoured by Local Authorities because they were cheap and strong. Probably not used these days as they are so heavy they would not comply with manual handling regs.
Is there anyway I can make the area look attractive? I was wondering if I could drill and cut random holes and plant shrubs and plants that you find growing in rocks, or could I grow grasses in the cracks. Will this look a dogs dinner ?
I have a path of the same concrete slabs running around the perimeter which I want to lift, but rather than taking to the tip, I could relay to extend the patio area. This can only happen if I can find answer to the ugly question.
many thanksÂ
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We had an area of crazy paving to the front of the house. I laid a membrane and covered it with slate chippings, which, with a bunch of pots etc, has improved it somewhatÂ
Cover it with lots of v full pots? You won't see the slabs.
Or drill some holes in the slabs and build some raised beds?Â
Local Authorities because they were cheap and strong. Probably not used these days as they are so heavy they would not comply with manual handling regs.
One of those slabs gave me my introduction to Sciatica Club
Set it up as a bike trials area
Paving slabs would lend themselves better to a recreation of the Southbank 
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I'd avoid crazy paving anything because tbh it looks terrible.Â
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Decking or returfing it would be preferrable.
Each time I'm on holiday in sunnier climes I come away thinking crazy paving looks good. Then I get home and come to my senses.Â
Maybe it's their sandstone or limestone paving (same was true when working in wick) that makes it look good
Thought I'd ask chatgpt. I'm ruthlessly paraphrasing here: it suggested removing selected slabs and filling with gravel/plants/decking, or, painting selected slabs, or if you're feeling really creative, paint a Persian rug over the whole lot of them.
It also muttered something about good lighting but I ignored that as I expect control of the weather is out of your hands.
Thanks everyone. I think you are sugar coating your responses. There is no hope for my ugly slabs!
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Now, don't be sad, there is always hope! You may just need to accept that the correct way forward is to have a 'patio party' and ask several friends round to help you put the slabs in a skip.
Or...
ORRRRRR....
Just build a deck over the top. Or some sort of membrane and a tonne of slate chips.
Despite the naysayers, we just got a small area (about 6ft x 8ft) crazy paved - but with 'proper' stone pieces, not broken up municipal paving slabs. Beneath a big magnolia and with jasmine around the side. Have the BBQ and pizza oven on it. Looks Mediterranean, not at all Rochdale borough council, thankfully.
Don't go dropping one onto your finger, it hurts a lot. I pulled ours up and used the slabs under the greenhouse and replaced my patio.Â
Edge it with timber and cover the slabs with a couple of inches of slate ?