Jump to content
  • Sign up for free and receive a month's subscription

    You are viewing this page as a guest. That means you are either a member who has not logged in, or you have not yet registered with us. Signing up for an account only takes a minute and it means you will no longer see this annoying box! It will also allow you to get involved with our friendly(ish!) community and take part in the discussions on our forums. And because we're feeling generous, if you sign up for a free account we will give you a month's free trial access to our subscriber only content with no obligation to commit. Register an account and then send a private message to @dave u and he'll hook you up with a subscription.

Recommended Posts

The old girl wont like me posting this but fuck it. Think it was Tuesday I finished off laying all the stone chippings and laid the base for the bench we bought.

 

The lawn looks worse that it actually is in this picture. The Sun has washed out the grass so it looks very bald and patchy. The area at the right was actually a flower bed and not lawned so has no grass on it yet.

 

While the lawn is the next job, Im quite pleased with how Ive managed to dig out the triffids the old girl planted and make the garden 'less is more.' There's a 4m by 2.6m decking from where the pict is taken with more chippings and a small patio in front of it.

 

There was no way the old girl was going to tend to the garden the way it was and now she has two places to sit on opposite sides of the garden which is south facing so gets loads of Sun.

Garden.jpg

  • Upvote 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, dockers_strike said:

The old girl wont like me posting this but fuck it. Think it was Tuesday I finished off laying all the stone chippings and laid the base for the bench we bought.

 

The lawn looks worse that it actually is in this picture. The Sun has washed out the grass so it looks very bald and patchy. The area at the right was actually a flower bed and not lawned so has no grass on it yet.

 

While the lawn is the next job, Im quite pleased with how Ive managed to dig out the triffids the old girl planted and make the garden 'less is more.' There's a 4m by 2.6m decking from where the pict is taken with more chippings and a small patio in front of it.

 

There was no way the old girl was going to tend to the garden the way it was and now she has two places to sit on opposite sides of the garden which is south facing so gets loads of Sun.

Garden.jpg

Good work. That looks like a lovely spot …but if I could offer a couple of suggestions…

What that bench could really do with is a small table, or one either side, for that cup of tea/glass of something cold…

….and plants always look best grouped in odd numbers. Try moving your fern along towards the tall ?palm (it’s probably just a bit sunny where it is now) and add another pot to that corner with perhaps a grass with strappy leaves.

(Interfering old cow)

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Champ said:

Good work. That looks like a lovely spot …but if I could offer a couple of suggestions…

What that bench could really do with is a small table, or one either side, for that cup of tea/glass of something cold…

….and plants always look best grouped in odd numbers. Try moving your fern along towards the tall ?palm (it’s probably just a bit sunny where it is now) and add another pot to that corner with perhaps a grass with strappy leaves.

(Interfering old cow)

 

Opposite side to the bench she has a 4m long decking with 3 - 4 seat garden swing plus a small table and chairs. She was talking about a small table to go with the bench but thinks having one on the other side of the garden would be a bit too much.

 

We used to have some climbing ivy on the left garage wall as you look at it but the neighbour complained about it so had to take it down.

 

To be honest, Im just the labourer and does as Im told by her! Im having a break now before I tackle the lawn.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 25/08/2021 at 16:50, dockers_strike said:

Need lawn levelling advice!

 

I need to level up the lawn as it's a bit like a ploughed field. The best option would be to get a gardener in to take off the top couple of inches of lawn, level out the bumps and troughs and either re seed or re turf. But I think that's going to be too expensive for our budget.

 

The next best thing is go the DIY route and just try and fill in the troughs gradually by laying preferable a sand and soil mix. There's all sorts of recommendations on the type of sand from that used for 'professional' sports pitches and lawns to red builder's sand!

 

I dont think red builder's sand is a good idea and saw suggestions of sharp sand or play pit sand. I know sharp sand is used in the building trade but it's suggested for lawns because of the irregular grain size?

 

What's the gardening experts opinion on using a sharp sand mix to level a lawn? Alternatives?

 

There's a quick and a not-quick answer to lawns. The quick is expensive: have a professional come in to level and lay new turf. Very pricey, but quick and trouble-free. 

 

The not-quick. Look at the soil. Is it dry? Is it compacted? Is it exhausted? Is there much moss or weeds? Autumnal dethatching, aerating and scarifying will absolutely help. You need to fertilise. To level, yes of course a lute will help and there are hand-held jobbies that are a bit cheaper. But you can do just as well with a long bit of wood or even the back of a rake. 

 

Also consider whether you want some colour or a bowling green. Some people like the yellow of yarrow or purple of clover within the lawn. 

 

I have just bought a year's supply of fert from Boston Seeds, the first of which will soon be applied in the Autumn. Before that, I have to start scarifying and aerating. I'll definitely be adding a mix of sand and topsoil to the whole lawn, as I do every year. Another application in early spring will include some grass seed but you'll have to watch the pigeons who will peck their way through the whole lot if you're not careful. 

 

Our lawns were absolutely compacted and exhausted but with regular work, it's looking loads better. Still some way to go yet like. Just took these. As you can see, there's still a long way to go before it's right... 

 

 

 

 

PXL_20210827_175751221.jpg

PXL_20210827_175732943.jpg

PXL_20210827_165155174.jpg

PXL_20210827_161928436.jpg

  • Upvote 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, rb14 said:

There's a quick and a not-quick answer to lawns. The quick is expensive: have a professional come in to level and lay new turf. Very pricey, but quick and trouble-free. 

 

The not-quick. Look at the soil. Is it dry? Is it compacted? Is it exhausted? Is there much moss or weeds? Autumnal dethatching, aerating and scarifying will absolutely help. You need to fertilise. To level, yes of course a lute will help and there are hand-held jobbies that are a bit cheaper. But you can do just as well with a long bit of wood or even the back of a rake. 

 

Also consider whether you want some colour or a bowling green. Some people like the yellow of yarrow or purple of clover within the lawn. 

 

I have just bought a year's supply of fert from Boston Seeds, the first of which will soon be applied in the Autumn. Before that, I have to start scarifying and aerating. I'll definitely be adding a mix of sand and topsoil to the whole lawn, as I do every year. Another application in early spring will include some grass seed but you'll have to watch the pigeons who will peck their way through the whole lot if you're not careful. 

 

Our lawns were absolutely compacted and exhausted but with regular work, it's looking loads better. Still some way to go yet like. Just took these. As you can see, there's still a long way to go before it's right... 

 

 

 

 

PXL_20210827_175751221.jpg

PXL_20210827_175732943.jpg

PXL_20210827_165155174.jpg

PXL_20210827_161928436.jpg

@dockers_strike

 

Get on it pal. No pressure.

  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 27/08/2021 at 18:59, rb14 said:

There's a quick and a not-quick answer to lawns. The quick is expensive: have a professional come in to level and lay new turf. Very pricey, but quick and trouble-free. 

 

The not-quick. Look at the soil. Is it dry? Is it compacted? Is it exhausted? Is there much moss or weeds? Autumnal dethatching, aerating and scarifying will absolutely help. You need to fertilise. To level, yes of course a lute will help and there are hand-held jobbies that are a bit cheaper. But you can do just as well with a long bit of wood or even the back of a rake. 

 

Also consider whether you want some colour or a bowling green. Some people like the yellow of yarrow or purple of clover within the lawn. 

 

I have just bought a year's supply of fert from Boston Seeds, the first of which will soon be applied in the Autumn. Before that, I have to start scarifying and aerating. I'll definitely be adding a mix of sand and topsoil to the whole lawn, as I do every year. Another application in early spring will include some grass seed but you'll have to watch the pigeons who will peck their way through the whole lot if you're not careful. 

 

Our lawns were absolutely compacted and exhausted but with regular work, it's looking loads better. Still some way to go yet like. Just took these. As you can see, there's still a long way to go before it's right... 

 

 

 

 

PXL_20210827_175751221.jpg

PXL_20210827_175732943.jpg

PXL_20210827_165155174.jpg

PXL_20210827_161928436.jpg

Top post! Yeah, it's only a postage stamp now because we've put decking and chippings down one side and just chippings and a small bench base on the other 2.

 

To be fair, the lawn has been a disaster since we bought the gaff 'off plan' 20 years ago. Over the years its got worst as Im not a gardener and the garden was the old girl's realm.

 

Im not after bowling green level, just needs some of the bad dips and troughs filling in. Ive ordered some top soil and sharp sand to mix 50 / 50 to make a start. Yeah, thanks for the tip about using the back of the rake, we'll see how it goes!

On 27/08/2021 at 23:56, TheHowieLama said:

@dockers_strike

 

Get on it pal. No pressure.

If it was up to me and we could afford it, Id just take the lot up and have that artificial stuff put down!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/07/2021 at 12:14, Champ said:

88A7AC5E-2D30-497D-ACCF-B5C7F3168FEF.jpeg

We haven’t had that many butterflies this year but the garden is teeming with bees and hoverflies and that has to be a good thing too.

This is a few months into this replanted border and it’s not quite got the jungly look I’m aiming for but it’s a start

E1B221E1-BA26-4ECC-8245-9F8D2C94553D.jpeg

5DD0C3A5-BF95-42BA-99FF-7CFD5DC2D2D8.jpeg

  • Upvote 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 27/08/2021 at 18:59, rb14 said:

There's a quick and a not-quick answer to lawns. The quick is expensive: have a professional come in to level and lay new turf. Very pricey, but quick and trouble-free. 

 

The not-quick. Look at the soil. Is it dry? Is it compacted? Is it exhausted? Is there much moss or weeds? Autumnal dethatching, aerating and scarifying will absolutely help. You need to fertilise. To level, yes of course a lute will help and there are hand-held jobbies that are a bit cheaper. But you can do just as well with a long bit of wood or even the back of a rake. 

 

Also consider whether you want some colour or a bowling green. Some people like the yellow of yarrow or purple of clover within the lawn. 

 

I have just bought a year's supply of fert from Boston Seeds, the first of which will soon be applied in the Autumn. Before that, I have to start scarifying and aerating. I'll definitely be adding a mix of sand and topsoil to the whole lawn, as I do every year. Another application in early spring will include some grass seed but you'll have to watch the pigeons who will peck their way through the whole lot if you're not careful. 

 

Our lawns were absolutely compacted and exhausted but with regular work, it's looking loads better. Still some way to go yet like. Just took these. As you can see, there's still a long way to go before it's right... 

 

 

 

 

PXL_20210827_175751221.jpg

PXL_20210827_175732943.jpg

PXL_20210827_165155174.jpg

PXL_20210827_161928436.jpg

If this garden was mine, I’d never go anywhere else. Stunning garden with, what looks like, incredible views. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, TheHowieLama said:

What is in the greenhouse?

Tomatoes mostly, at the moment. I’ve got 3 varieties this year, a cherry size, a medium sized on and the absolute best, the big beefsteak ones.

I’ve also got a cucumber and a trough with parsley and coriander. As well as a grape vine.

Below the vine I’ve got a small collection of ferns and apart from that I use it to bring on cuttings. I always resisted getting a greenhouse thinking I wouldn’t be able to keep up with it but I love it

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, YorkshireRed said:

If this garden was mine, I’d never go anywhere else. Stunning garden with, what looks like, incredible views. 

We have incredible views over towards Beachy Head (averaging about three jumpers a month) and Birling Gap. In one of the pix you can just make out the Belle Toute lighthouse which was literally picked up and moved 20 metres inland to prevent it being lost to coastal erosion. 

 

Going back to lawns though, I've just spent three hours and nearly 50 litres of spraying in an attempt to deal with some creeping weeds that are strangling the grass. I'm knackered really, because I really don't want to use weedkiller, but nor do I want a lawn comprising 40% weeds. 

 

Just beyond the hedge boundary is about 20 metres of additional land which we leave to go wild. I regularly clear a path for the infrequent walkers to go down to the road. These little pathways are known locally as "twittens". Fab name like. I'll try and get a few pix of the twitten tomorrow. It's heavenly down there. 

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, rb14 said:

We have incredible views over towards Beachy Head (averaging about three jumpers a month) and Birling Gap. In one of the pix you can just make out the Belle Toute lighthouse which was literally picked up and moved 20 metres inland to prevent it being lost to coastal erosion. 

 

Going back to lawns though, I've just spent three hours and nearly 50 litres of spraying in an attempt to deal with some creeping weeds that are strangling the grass. I'm knackered really, because I really don't want to use weedkiller, but nor do I want a lawn comprising 40% weeds. 

 

Just beyond the hedge boundary is about 20 metres of additional land which we leave to go wild. I regularly clear a path for the infrequent walkers to go down to the road. These little pathways are known locally as "twittens". Fab name like. I'll try and get a few pix of the twitten tomorrow. It's heavenly down there. 

Do the Beachy Head jumpers just do it silently with no fuss,no cry for help? That's seriously sad.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, VladimirIlyich said:

Do the Beachy Head jumpers just do it silently with no fuss,no cry for help? That's seriously sad.

To the best of my knowledge, yes. In fact I'm sure. Our next door neighbour's uncle did it a few years ago. He took his little doggy with him. Bless them both. I've had really mixed reactions about that. On the one hand of course, the "heartless/cruel/selfish" reaction, on the other, the "he went with his bezzy mate." The dog would have been utterly lost without him; they were inseparable.

 

I think it's utterly amazing that people can be so totally down, see absolutely no alternative, but then have such courage to actually do it. 

 

There’s a permanent watch kept by - what we call the "Charlies" - the Beachy Head Chaplains (Charlie Chaplin, geddit?) who patrol 24/7. I don't think they are there to stop people, they are there to offer whatever help they can. Amazing job by amazing people. 

  • Upvote 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

27 minutes ago, rb14 said:

To the best of my knowledge, yes. In fact I'm sure. Our next door neighbour's uncle did it a few years ago. He took his little doggy with him. Bless them both. I've had really mixed reactions about that. On the one hand of course, the "heartless/cruel/selfish" reaction, on the other, the "he went with his bezzy mate." The dog would have been utterly lost without him; they were inseparable.

 

I think it's utterly amazing that people can be so totally down, see absolutely no alternative, but then have such courage to actually do it. 

 

There’s a permanent watch kept by - what we call the "Charlies" - the Beachy Head Chaplains (Charlie Chaplin, geddit?) who patrol 24/7. I don't think they are there to stop people, they are there to offer whatever help they can. Amazing job by amazing people. 

Wow. Heartbreaking.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share


×
×
  • Create New...