Tuesday 17 April 2012

Pain in the grass

We all want the perfect lawn, front or back garden.


In my patch it's simply not going to happen unless I go for a full re-turf, yet I fear that ripping up the lot will be too painful and seeing it bare will just make me itch as it slowly grows back (I'm impatient you see). 


Also, I don't know how long it takes to pull up, and whether I should ask a professional? Do I really feel comfortable showing someone else just what a state it's in? What if they make it worse?


However, I believe we need to open up a bit more, share what nature has given us all, no matter how embarrassing. It's the only way we'll come to appreciate what we have in life. So here it is:




Granted, the dandelions are rampant, but take a moment to absorb their buttercup-rich petals and proud defiance among the mish mash of green leaves and stalks. Ok, perhaps I'm pushing it a bit, and yes it is in desperate need of a tidy up.


However, no amount of overgrowth can hide a thing of beauty, and in amongst the rampant mess proudly sits this gem:



I couldn't have decorated it better myself


4 comments:

Nome said...

Beautiful! But where you see weeds, Tom... I see dandelion and ground elder salad! And dandelion tea, or wine, or jam... You know it makes sense!

frasermac834 said...

I've got a fishtail prong for removing dandelions from the lawn, 6inches long, stainless steel and sharpened between the tails, its an awesome weapon. There is strange satisfaction in hearing the roots fracture before you can remove the plant entirely. Its only after removing hundreds of the buggers that you realise they are one of evolutions wonders. Despite my best efforts to kill them, they thrive. Even with the 'prong removing them root and all, they come back, seemingly stronger than ever. A green-keeper friend tells me the best way to get a good lawn is to year after year keep it cut short, your mowers shortest setting, once a week without fail. But then, wheres the diversity in a green lawn? No bluebells thats for sure.

Anonymous said...

Blimey, that's going to take some doing. I commiserate, I have lawn that struggles under shade and under the thirstyness of a magnolia tree. Each year without fail I am re-seeding an area of it and this year I have given in and gone for a proprietary brand of seed and growing medium advertised by a smug couple with a joke reference at the end of the advert to his bald head. Those weeds need taking in hand, lawn sand, lawn weed killer, feed and weed, old fashioned on your hands and knees with a trowel....any of these. New turf is thirsty, so if you have a hosepipe ban and the water butt is a long way away....happy gardening!

Kath said...

Oh, thank God! In the US grass is king and dandelions are a sign of sheer sloth. We re-sodded our grass and through sheer laziness it is now a forest of dandelions. Ah well, prehaps dandelion wine?

The Hapless Kitchen Gardener

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Bristol
I only feel hapless because some people make it look easy to grow 10 ft marrows or a banquet of greens whereas my courgettes got nabbed by killer slugs and I only got one raspberry. So tips and stories from people less hapless than I are more than welcome. As a disclaimer though, none of my comments should be taken as expert advice on which you can rely! © Unless stated otherwise, and with the exception of guest content where that guest retains copyright, all photos and posts are the copyright of Tom Carpen and may not be used without permission.