[Misc] Anyone else thinking about mowing the lawn?

[LamieRobertson]

I'll post some more as it develops.
The three non-mulched areas are where the plants haven't really grown enough to put mulch around. As soon as I can see them, I'll finish these areas off.

Did you plant the laurel as well?

 

[Jack Straw]

Did you plant the laurel as well?

The line at the far end, yes. The aim is to join up with the existing hedge and keep it at the same height. It seemed that the previous tenants made a bad attempt of hiding the wall and fence by using various trellis/planter things which you can see in the first photo. The patio at that end where you can see a table and chairs, went right up to the wall. I took the row of slabs next to the wall up, and that allowed me to plant the Laurels. I used the slabs to make a hard standing for the wheelie bins at the opposite end of the plot.

 

[LamieRobertson]

The line at the far end, yes. The aim is to join up with the existing hedge and keep it at the same height. It seemed that the previous tenants made a bad attempt of hiding the wall and fence by using various trellis/planter things which you can see in the first photo. The patio at that end where you can see a table and chairs, went right up to the wall. I took the row of slabs next to the wall up, and that allowed me to plant the Laurels. I used the slabs to make a hard standing for the wheelie bins at the opposite end of the plot.

There is a house just down the road from me (I cut the neighbours grass) that has just planted out mature laurel at the back ...having redone the fence (close edge) and its quite a large back garden ..they must have spent north of 20k..I won't go into how much is being spent on the house ...and they are downsizing

 

[Nottseagull]

Having a lawn just feels like quite a British thing (I'm aware there are lawns in other countries).

They don't have them in America.

 

[Jack Straw]

There is a house just down the road from me (I cut the neighbours grass) that has just planted out mature laurel at the back ...having redone the fence (close edge) and its quite a large back garden ..they must have spent north of 20k..I won't go into how much is being spent on the house ...and they are downsizing

We got our Laurels in a sale at Hassocks Garden Center. I've sent you a PM!

 

[LamieRobertson]

We got our Laurels in a sale at Hassocks Garden Center. I've sent you a PM!

I hope you got a discount! ...I tend to use hedgesdirect.co.uk ..I have a commercial account with them...just recently planted up some bare rooted ones.
I've replied to your PM

 

[Deportivo Seagull]

Not yet but my Goldstone grass is in need of some TLC.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Jack Straw]

Then of course, as I've mentioned on here before, if you don't need your lawn for anything special, plant it up! I have just completed a project of this nature for a friend. I'll post pictures of before and after when it starts performing in the summer.

Flower buds are now forming, just a little bit longer to wait, then hopefully, a real show of colour.

 

[LowKarate]

We got our Laurels in a sale at Hassocks Garden Center. I've sent you a PM!

You’ve piqued my interest. This Laurel... is it a Hardy plant?

 

[Jack Straw]

You’ve piqued my interest. This Laurel... is it a Hardy plant?

You need to have two, otherwise you'll have a fine mess.

 

[Weststander]

I'll post some more as it develops.
The three non-mulched areas are where the plants haven't really grown enough to put mulch around. As soon as I can see them, I'll finish these areas off.

I’m replacing myself our small south-facing front lawn (which also had a row of very old and woody heathers), with perennials, biennials and a one or two shrubs. Still a working in progress, but I’ve already planted:

Cornus alba siberica x 2 - can’t wait to see the red stems next winter
Lavandula x Intermedia - a low double hedge
Nepeta Six Hills Giant
Viper’s bugloss - for summer 2020
Borage
Echinops ritro
Rudbeckia Goldsturm
Verbena bonariensis

This is already attracting a host of bees. So satisfying to see the effect, over a sterile lawn.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Flower buds are now forming, just a little bit longer to wait, then hopefully, a real show of colour.

Lots of weeding coming up?

 

[LamieRobertson]

Lots of weeding coming up?

Lol...i noticed how well weeded your patch is when i looked at your photo earlier today

 

[AmexRuislip]

Lol...i noticed how well weeded your patch is when i looked at your photo earlier today

Always with the innuendo, Tinder again

 

[Coldeanseagull]

Flower buds are now forming, just a little bit longer to wait, then hopefully, a real show of colour.

Just reminded me, I need to sow some more slug food....er, I mean cardoon!
It's nice to have a gardening section on here, now if I can just get everyone to rip up the roses(spit, hate them) and yellow flowered things(everything is bloody yellow in spring) and replant with palms, bananas and a host of antipodean ferns and things, we can turn Sussex semi tropical

 

[LamieRobertson]

Just reminded me, I need to sow some more slug food....er, I mean cardoon!
It's nice to have a gardening section on here, now if I can just get everyone to rip up the roses(spit, hate them) and yellow flowered things(everything is bloody yellow in spring) and replant with palms, bananas and a host of antipodean ferns and things, we can turn Sussex semi tropical

Nooo.....tulips and bluebells etc...a multitude of colours in Spring!

 

[Algernon]

This weekend my wife commented how much she would appreciate some Galium Aperine in or around her herbaceous border and is really looking forward to her Kigelia Africana bearing fruit this year.
I mowed the lawn last weekend and I'll have to do it again this coming weekend. Bloody grass.

 

[Jack Straw]

Lots of weeding coming up?

I spent a lot of time preparing the soil to make it as "clean" as possible. I finished by mulching with well-rotted compost. I spend about five minutes every other week searching for any weeds of which there are very few. I pick out the annuals and sycamore seedlings by hand and apply Roundup to any perennial weeds such as Dandelions and Cinquefoil. So far this year, in total I've spent around twenty minutes "weeding". Nothing really. The bees are now on the Nepeta and Salvia. I'll post some more pictures as time goes by.

 

[Jack Straw]

I’m replacing myself our small south-facing front lawn (which also had a row of very old and woody heathers), with perennials, biennials and a one or two shrubs. Still a working in progress, but I’ve already planted:

Cornus alba siberica x 2 - can’t wait to see the red stems next winter
Lavandula x Intermedia - a low double hedge
Nepeta Six Hills Giant
Viper’s bugloss - for summer 2020
Borage
Echinops ritro
Rudbeckia Goldsturm
Verbena bonariensis

This is already attracting a host of bees. So satisfying to see the effect, over a sterile lawn.

Rudbeckia Goldsturm is a wonderful plant. Vibrant yellow flowers and as tough as old boots. One of my favourites as is Verbena bonariensis. This is a tremendous plant for pollinating insects. About ten years ago, I designed the seasonal bedding in the Old Steine using mainly this and a few Petunias. Looked stunning and attracted most of Sussex's bees!

 

[Jack Straw]

Just reminded me, I need to sow some more slug food....er, I mean cardoon!
It's nice to have a gardening section on here, now if I can just get everyone to rip up the roses(spit, hate them) and yellow flowered things(everything is bloody yellow in spring) and replant with palms, bananas and a host of antipodean ferns and things, we can turn Sussex semi tropical

I was right in to tropical plants for years, Trachycarpus, Yuccas, Phormiums etc. About seven years ago, I suddenly saw the light and since, everything I've planted has some bio-diversity value. Tropical plants with this value I did get planted in a lot of Brighton and Hove are Agapanthus africanus and Echiums. These are wonderful for bees. You'll find these in a lot of Squares in Brighton, notably New Steine and Dukes Mound. Both species are salt tolerant (as are a lot of tropical plants), and the combination of these Agapanthus and Phormium "Yellow Wave" make a very colourful display near the sea.