thanks for all that info folks. we are going to be replacing the lounge carpet soon so i think i will use the old one to cover the patch.
the only worry i had about covering was that i thought i had read that the winter frosts getting into the freshly dug soil would help break it up a bit. would this still happen if i covered it??
i have a patch of brambles just at the end of the patch; if i used weedkiller just on these would it seep into my adjacent bed ??
thanks again all