Mypex for raised flower beds

Pinky123

Hello,
I have a landscaper currently quoting a job for me that includes raised flower beds. Part of quote is for mypex in the beds but I have no clue what this is (am guessing it is a type of liner?) .This part of quote is very expensive and I am wondering if we should just bite the bullet and get him to do it or just plant out the beds ourself?
Also does anyone have any experience of imprinted concrete for patios and footpaths
Thanks in advance

looksee

Mypex is expensive, but I believe it is the best of the liners. Planting beds with a weedproof membrane is not really difficult, but its easy to make a bit of a mess of :-) If you are handy, and have some gardening experience then give it a go. I am getting a bit disillusioned with membrane as I find the chippings tend to move/blow off/leave bald patches of membrane showing. I have removed it from one bed and am going to try it with just a good thickness of woodchips and be prepared to top them up. This is by way of an experiment so I may regret it!

Sonnenblumen

At c€ 1.50/sqm Mypex is hardly expensive? BTW I would not use it in a herbaceous planting as it will inhibit the natural growth and spread of plants.

Would also agree that used in conjunction with a bark mulching, can also be disappointing results (exposed liner etc).

Weeding RBs is easy and IMO a deep mulching is probably just as effective without any drawbacks.

pwurple

+1 on mypex not being particularly useful for flower beds, which are usually herbaceous planting. If it's something more like a planting of shrubs, then maybe.

It must be a really massive area with very few plants for the mypex to stand out as an expensive part. Are you getting the beds constructed without planting?

Pinky123

The mypex was just a part of the 2k costing for planting out the beds but as the pricing has not been itemised for this part of the project I thought that as this might be a significant cost as it was mentioned by brand.
Is this lining used on the inside of the beds or just on the top as a weed barrier?

greasepalm

on top of beds secured at edges then top dressed with bark,any deeper weeds grow on top defeating the purpose of membrane,if you have a kitchen j cloth similar product.

monkeynuz

As others have said, membrane is pointless in herbaceous beds and after time you just get silt forming on the membrane then weeds root in that. I was asked many years ago to replant a disastrous planting scheme that failed in membrane the first thing i did was rip it all up and the bark with it! It was in the region of 4000 sq feet of membrane! If you like sonnenblumen says just mulch the beds I am currently trying a straw based mulch out although I personally don't like mulch as it isn't as pretty as well weeded soil and I tend to plant things thickly so there isn't much of anything showing anyway.

Sonnenblumen

OP - the first I would do is request an itemised quote. Secondly If you are unclear ask, if you are uncertain seek a second opinion.

Thirdly you would be doing well to take good cognisance of the experience and expert opinions outlined by others in their respective posts.

If I was to make a call on the broader question is this value for money? based on the info provided, I would seek an alternative quote for both cost and proposed methodology reasons.