A landscaping job usually needs three layers sorted before planting or paving goes down: what stops weeds coming through, what the ground itself is built from, and whether that ground has to take a slope, foot traffic or a vehicle. Answer those three questions and the product list mostly writes itself.

What is the fabric actually stopping, and for how long?

Under a bed of bark or gravel, a membrane has one job: stop weeds establishing from below without stopping water and air getting through. Spun Bonded Weed Control Fabric is the lighter option, in 50g and 60g weights supplied in 100m lengths, and suits flower beds and areas under decking. Woven and spun bonded polypropylene steps up the durability: the spun bonded grade lasts around 3 years, the woven grade up to 5, so pick the one that matches how long the bed will stay undisturbed. For patios, block paving, gravel paths and driveways, Ground Cover fabric is a heavier, UV stabilised membrane in 90g and 100g weights, built for a longer working life under a hard surface.

Underneath the surface itself, rather than under mulch, the job changes to separating one layer of aggregate from another so they do not mix and lose their structure. Terram 1000 does this between sub-base and surface layers on driveways, paths and car parks, and is specified widely across UK civil engineering for that reason. Whichever fabric goes down, it needs pinning: Steel Fixing Pins hold it on most ground, Black Plastic Oxy-Degradable Stakes are formulated to last at least seven years, and where the whole scheme is meant to disappear, Greenstake Bio-Peg rots down alongside a biodegradable fabric so there is nothing left to remove.

Building the ground itself: soil, mulch and growing media

Fabric only does half the job; what sits above and below it matters just as much. Growing Media covers everything from PAS100 green waste compost to BS3882 accredited topsoil, and Soils and Sands is credited to the same British Standard for shrub beds, green roof construction and tree planting. On top, bark mulch is supplied from functional amenity grade through to decorative ornamental and play grades, as loose loads, bulk bags or standard bags. None of these are priced online: quantities and grades vary too much by project, so get in touch with the site details.

Slopes, banks and traffic: reinforcing the ground itself

If the site has a slope, the risk changes from weeds to erosion. Geocoir Erosion Control Mesh is stocked in three weights, from 400g per square metre for general slopes up to 900g for the most exposed sites, and holds the ground together while grass gets established. Eromat C-100-J is the stronger option for embankments up to 1:1, holding soil in place for around 12 months while an underseeded mix establishes. Jute Netting is the cheaper, well-established alternative for gentler slopes, and it also creates a sheltered microclimate that speeds up germination underneath.

Where the ground instead needs to carry footfall or vehicles without losing its grass cover, cellular systems do a different job to matting. BodPave 85 and GridLok are both interlocking porous paving systems, filled with grass or gravel, that spread the load rather than compact it; GridLok is rated to take loads in excess of 170 tonnes per square metre once filled. For lighter grass-through traffic, such as overflow parking or disabled access routes, GrassProtecta mesh improves slip resistance by up to 97% over standard mesh. Vehicle and pedestrian access at that scale is really its own decision, covered fully in the ground reinforcement and grass protection buying guide.

Which product for which job

Weeds under a bark bed: Spun Bonded Weed Control Fabric.
Weeds under paving or gravel that needs to last: Ground Cover.
Separating sub-base from surface on a driveway: Terram 1000.
A slope that needs holding together while grass takes: Geocoir Erosion Control Mesh or Eromat C-100-J.
A biodegradable scheme with nothing to remove afterwards: Jute Netting, pinned with Greenstake Bio-Peg.
A trafficked area that still needs to look like grass: BodPave 85 or GridLok.

Get the fabric and the ground preparation right first; paving, planting or turf laid over the wrong base will fail long before the visible layer does. If your project mixes several of these needs, one call to the Phoenix Amenity team with a site plan will usually save more time than working through each product page individually.

Frequently asked questions

Can I lay weed control fabric directly under grass seed?

No, weed control fabric works by stopping anything rooting through it from below, and that includes grass seed on top. For new grass and turf, use something designed to protect germinating seed instead, such as a Grass Germination Sheet, and keep weed fabric for beds, gravel paths and paved areas.

How do I know which weight of erosion matting my slope needs?

As a rough guide, Geocoir Erosion Control Mesh is stocked in three weights, from 400g per square metre for general slopes up to 900g for exposed banks and watercourses, while Eromat C-100-J is built for the steepest embankments, up to 1:1. Get in touch with the slope angle, aspect and exposure and the team can confirm which weight suits the site.

Is bark mulch or growing media sold in fixed quantities online?

No. Growing Media, Soils and Sands and Barks and Mulches are all quote based, because grade, volume and delivery vary by project. Use the enquiry form on the product page, or call, with the area and depth you need covered.