This job was done in stages over the course of the summer, starting with clearing the unwanted materials from a lockdown veggie patch, followed by digging out the majority of invasive weeds, we then had to treat the really stubborn weeds with a strong herbicide (which is always a last resort!), then we could apply fertiliser and top soil to feed the ground and level the surface….finally fresh seeds were applied and watered well and regularly.
Weeded onceReady for a pamperA finer lawn
Definitely a long process to recover a lawn sometimes but the end result is worth it!
The planter is made from corten steel sheets and features a little tiny pond area for the frogs
(I found soo many hiding in the long lawn and weeds when we started the clearance so I felt like I had to give them a little habitat to enjoy!)
This was a lovely little project, that started with working with the client to source the right stones- however we were rather bemused by the quantity that arrived as it was waaay more than advertised from the supplier! The overwhelming pile of rocks were a bonus in the end- we built a second wall incorporating the terracotta plant pots and the left overs were kindly donated to the community garden that I use and volunteers built a rockery area around the pond.
We used a traditional lime mortar to set the edges and a few areas in place to keep the walls secure but breathable for the plants roots to grow.
Planted with Campanula, Tumbling Ted (Saponaria ocymoides), Lewisia and Muscari bulbs
The first picture is the after shot, we cleared a mass of overgrown brambles which were towering about 12 feet high and smothering half of the garden! With the beastly brambles tamed, the shrubs pruned to a politer size, the lawn pampered a little and the pathway recovered, the true beauty of this garden is revealed.
This garden is now in a manageable state and has a monthly maintenance visit from me in the growing season to keep it in shape, I sometimes bring an assistant with me to this garden as there’s a lot to do to here!
This garden recovery is a story of a sons love for his mother- the garden was her pride and joy and even in her elderly years she still managed her best to maintain it herself, refusing offers of getting a gardener in to help, as no one would have the right touch to care for her plants properly. Without her around to keep it in check, and an after effect of grief, I’m sure, it was left to overgrow year after year. Eventually the brambles took hold, flourishing in her fertile homemade compost beds, smothering her beloved greenhouse and flower beds. Her son had tried to get a handle on it once before, calling in a clearance company that simply chopped it all down for a steep price, without any further plan for maintenance in place – of course, it all grew back again!
Hearing this story I was honoured to rescue his mothers garden, after the initial clearance work we put a plan in place to further elevate the space and scheduled regular maintenance visits.
We ensure the brambles don’t grow back by firstly digging out what we can, making sure we get all of the roots out. For any stubborn, deep roots that keep growing back we use a strong herbicide or stump killer, as sometimes it’s the only way to win the battle!
