And so it begins.
After the tree debacle I put my thinking cap on and began to develop the bones of my new back garden. I was sick of looking at the dust bath so I decided to get stuck in now rather than waiting for spring. I started by putting the stone circle that used to be in the front under the potato digger in the center of the garden. In the middle of that I planted an almond tree that I’ve been growing on in a tub, and around the back of the circle I’ve planted a box hedge. Erm….I heard that!!! What do you mean you can’t see it???? Give it a chance…..it’ll soon grow. I’ll have you know that these plants are all cuttings from last year, so haven’t cost me a penny!
THEN…..
I ordered 200 rolls of turf!!! Oh yes…real green GRASS!
And I laid it roll after roll until finally I had myself a lawn.
GRASS!
I just CANT take my eyes off it…..after two grim years of the Serengeti I find it hypnotizing!
I don’t even care how much my back aches…..or how long it took to lay 194 rolls of the stuff in the wind and rain……I just keep looking at it awestruck. That’s grass, that is, REAL green grass! And it’s rained every day since I’ve put it down so I don’t even have to water it.
Now I’d like to ask all you people who take having a lawn in your stride to indulge me while I take you on a tour of what may be a garden in a few months.
So, come walk with me and we’ll head off to the right where I’ve planted five of the fruit trees I bought last year, apricot, apple, cherry and pear.
Most of the plants in this border were destroyed by the chainsaw maniac as he removed these panels to take the branches out, well the green stuff out as he left all the branches as logs for me!
I’ve put in a new climbing frame at the back and have planted jasmine and a potato climber to scramble over it….which they will in time.
Sometimes you have to work with what you’ve got. I know the dogs will continue to gallop through here so I thought there was little point in building this area up again. Border collies don’t forget old tricks! So now the dog made path around the pond is turfed and I’ve built a new rockery on the right, which will eventually be filled with alpines and the left shall have lots of wildflowers. Soooo….lots of cuttings and seeds to be sorted.
P.s…..I do hope you are noticing all the GRASS!!!!
I’ve planted some grasses around the back of the pond, and am currently in love with the curly one in the middle.
To me, this is the real jewel in the crown. In time this beautiful bamboo will develop blue stems…..hence it name, blue bamboo.
Here is what is left of my black thorn hedge, again these poor plants were trampled but are still clinging to life so I’m hoping they grow back next year. The rocks have been excavated from beneath the felled tree, and I think there’s a lot more to come. The rocks are rather lovely so I’m sure I’ll think of something to use them for later. The broken bower sitting on my daffodil and tulip patch will be burnt in the chiminea, so at least it will be put to good use.
Hope you all spotted the GRASS in this shot too.
I now have a very organised log pile, fresh wood and seasoned wood are all now sorted. I wanted to turf the roof of Curly cat’s shed with the left over turf but couldn’t get my steps close enough due to the logs….and I aint moving them again. Oh no, no way!
We have now arrived at the felled tree border, the smashed fence quarters and the home of the giant concrete unmovable stones….hubs will have to sort those monsters, so moving swiftly on…..
I’ve even got grass outside the greenhouse again…and in it actually. And I’ve potted lots of spring bulbs and moved some of my fruit bushes from the front to this area.
I’ve been sorting the front pond out a little. Lots of new plants in here and plenty of cuttings waiting to go in.
People have asked me how on earth the dogs managed to wreck the lawn….
It’s because they do this for hours on end. Here they are trying to wreck the front lawn. I’m exercising them here at the moment while the grass roots in the back. They’re even managing to rip this lawn up too. If you look behind Annie, a little to the left, you’ll see Sam THUNDERING right through my herb garden. Annie meanwhile is racing through the lavender border…..no respect at all….
And finally….one last look at my lawn.
Sighs……ahhhhh……green, green grass.
That grass looks wonderful… but what a strange way to plant it… wish you much happiness from your garden. I’m still in shock over what happened to the trees… xxx
Oh the grass makes me happy just looking at it. Do you not lay rolls of turf? I could have seeded it but that takes much longer. I do miss those lovely trees but I’ve planted lots of fruit trees so that should be good for wildlife and us! Thanks Shimon.xxxx
Garden is looking great for this time of year….lots of transformation going on. I could do with some of that gardening bug myself! Oh and yes I spotted the new grass. Bet the dogs just love it. 🙂 x
Lol….glad you spotted the grass!!!! When I’m done here, I’ll pop around and sort your garden! I haven’t let Sam on it yet, but Annie has had a few trial runs on it and it seems to be holding it’s own. Hope all is well with you. Thanks Karen.xxxx
Well done with all that back-breaking hard work! I take all my hats off to you – what a huge amount of work but so very worth it – the grass looks wonderful – really strong and thick and lush! Hope the beastish dogs don’t have their wicked way with it again. I think perhaps you could tie dog slippers onto their feet so their claws don’t rip everything up…. am sure they’d love slippers….. maybe not! :))xxx
Lol….I’m most impressed that you are taking ALL of your hats off to me….praise indeed!!!! It does seem to be good strong grass so I hoping it can survive the thundrous galloping! I don’t think it helps when it’s wet, that seems to churn the turf up. Slippers….my two would chew then off in seconds!!!! But a smashin’ idea.
I hope the course went well….looking forward to hearing about it. Thanks Arose.xxxx
Gosh, what an improvement – let’s hope it stays like that. You have a huge garden and it looks now that you’re getting on top of everything. You have worked jolly hard my girl and I’m proud of you.
It was hard work Elaine, a lot harder than I thought it would be but now as you say I feel like I can manage the rest of the garden and build it up gradually. Thanks SO much for the pat on the back, that has me smiling away! Enjoying how your novel is progressing!xxxx
That’s an astonishing transformation – I couldn’t take my eyes off it!! And it looks so mature as well -the grass I mean – as if it’s been there for ages … rather smug-looking in fact – aha, it’s saying, it’s us, we’re here to stay and aren’t we beautiful??
Hmm. my grass has suddenly become plural. Those are all the grass blades talking. Except now they’re saying WATCH OUT – DUCK – HERE COME THOSE DOGS AGAIN AARRGGHH!!!
Seriously, I am sooooooooooo impressed. It must have been the most incredible amount of hard work. Definitely you deserve a nice evening with a glass of wine beside the chimera … yes!!
Hahahahaha….I really hope it’s here to stay Gilly, I bought tough stuff so hope it lives up to it’s name, it does look totally different doesn’t it?
I can’t wait to have a chiminea, we haven’t had one yet as we can’t let the dogs on it and if we go out without them they howl the damn house down, but it is something I’m looking forward to!!! Thanks Gilly.xxxx
That’s a great transformation and the grass makes all the difference! You must be pleased after all your hard work and recent problems with the tree cutting situation. At least Annie and Sam have a large, secure front garden to release some of their energy as the back gets established.
It is an amazing transformation isn’t it…..who would have thought a little grass could make such a difference. I am glad that we have a large front garden, otherwise the dogs would be going crackers. Thanks Linda.xxxx
Very impressive indeed! I’m thoroughly enjoying looking at it as I work now – in fact, and I’m not so sure you’ll be impressed with this – I just watched a little red squirrel bury 5 nuts around your beautiful new lawn… so you might want to anticipate some unplanned trees… xx
Why thank you me dear! Lovely to know you have a bird’s eye view of the green stuff with the added bonus of watching the red squirrel. Thanks Scarlett.xxxx
Wow …. when’s the garden party and can I declare it officially open????
Oh what a smashin’ idea…maybe we should organize a blog meet and let you officially open the garden.xxxx
Truly, it was hard to focus, Dina, because of ALL THE GORGEOUS GREEN GRASS!!!! My pups are only half border collie and run me ragged…gotta love them! Maybe it’s my well-honed teacher voice, but when I yell, “Out of the garden!” they most certainly know I mean business and leap out…usually. Sigh.
Everything’s looking hopeful and lovely, Dina: how wonderful to have big green dreams and a place to make them come true. Good for you. Hope you gave yourself a nice treat of two after all the work was finished!
Hahahahaha….yes…it’s gorgeous isn’t it!!!!I can hardly believe it’s really there. I keep pinching myself!
Border collie’s are a handful even cross breeds. They need an awful lot of stimulation don’t they, otherwise they go stir crazy. I must hone my voice….or maybe get a megaphone!!!! They have learnt to get out of the veggie patch so that’s something I suppose. I’ve done a little work on the dreaded felled tree border now and have a fruit bush patch and have added some lovely climbers. It’s lovely to be able to look forward to what spring will bring.
Oh yes….I had myself some lovely large glasses of the chilled stuff! Thanks Kitty.xxxx
Wow! The grass does look great!
I just think you are doing what any good dog person does, sacrificing the grass to the whims of the pups 🙂
Thanks Eric, I’m hoping to alternate the dogs with the front and back lawn so neither gets destroyed, also long walks and beach runs should help.xxxx
Wow, you have been really working and Iknow i will really be nice when the nice weather comes back
Thanks Sheryl. I hope all is well with you. Thanks for dropping by.xxxx
It looks fab! Well done you!
Thanks Steph. I’ll look forward to seeing your new garden.xxxx
BRAVO a thousand times over…….what a job you have done, and I love the circle….and see some kind of a water feature being made out of the first pile of stones/rocks. The grass looks fabulous…….I am so impressed Dina:)xxxxxxx
Thanks SO much Janet! What a wonderful idea re a water feature, I’ve been looking into getting some solar powered ones, but maybe I should make my own. I am delighted with the grass, although I don’t know what it will be like after the dogs have run on it a few times.xxxx
The grass looks fantastic. I did notice it in all those photos! I can just imagine the hard work putting it all down.
I loved the wander around your garden and seeing all your planting – look forward to seeing it all again through the different seasons with your wild flowers, alpines, spring bulbs etc in flower.
It’s always wonderful to see your lovely dogs at full speed. My grass is currently being dug up by badgers, every morning at the moment I find a new area churned up. But knowing they’re there gives me more pleasure than an immaculate lawn!
Lol….SO pleased you spotted all the gorgeous green stuff. I was hard work but so rewarding.
It’s lovely to think about what new plants will do throughout the seasons, it’s what gardening is all about.
I’m so pleased to hear you have badgers and are not too bothered by the damage they do, if only there were more people like you around. I would welcome badgers but we don’t have many around here. Thanks Wendy.xxxx
Just corrected the spelling of my ‘nom-de-plume’…..;) xxx
That’s great. I wonder why it changed?xxxx
Wow! You’ve really been hard ‘at it’…..Going to be fabulous in Spring – Not that far away. 🙄
That bamboo can spread….I’m sure you are vaware of that….;)
Marvelous D! Hugs! xxx
Roll on spring eh? This variety isn’t too invasive but if it does spread I’ll have new plants for pots and given the price of it I’m hoping it does a little. Thanks Bushka.xxxx
Oh my! What an incredible transformation. Just brilliant! What an amazing amount of work and thought went into your garden/lawn. I remember the first time I discovered your lovely blog was your post and lament for your muddy back garden and lack of grass ect~ I sent you a page written by a man with several dogs ,who also managed to maintain a lawn , in hopes it might offer a few helpful suggestions for your own dilemma. What a beautiful space it is now. Continued good luck with it and wishes for many happy hours to spend it in(with all your animal and human family) the future.
It is astonishing how grass can transform everything isn’t it, I’m absolutely thrilled with it, I feel able to tackle the rest of the garden now and hopefully by spring it will all burst into life.
The article you sent was very helpful Val so thanks ever so much for that. Oh the thought of sitting in it and looking around is soooooo wonderful. Thanks Val.xxxx
Extraordinary … and you did it all alone without the help of a gardener?!
What a woman full of energy you’re, my respects 😀
Sure it’s great, so green and weed-free, ready to be carved out from the sweet big dogs… ahhh they will have fun!
We also should pull back the sleeves of her sweater and put ourselves into the “garden preparations for winter”…
Damn! Time flies and slips from my fingers like water…
See you soon and … Enjoy the garden, before it reaches the snow… but maybe in Liverpool you don’t have it 😉
Have a lovely evening 🙂 claudine
I did it all by myself Claudine so can now admire it and feel really proud of it…..hahahahaha….yes, it’s only a matter of time before the dogs carve it up again…..sighs…..I’ll have to sort more beach runs to give the lawn a break, especially over winter.
Good luck with your winter preparations, there is a lot to be done now, I spend hours just trying to keep on top of the leaves…….and yes, time sure does fly, and the dark nights don’t help!!! We do get snow, but I’m hoping we don’t this year…
Have and wonderful evening, and thanks Claudine.xxxx
Goodness you have been busy. It all looks like it’s been well worthwhile though.
I hope you’ve now recovered from all that exertion.
Lots of good pictures. And is that grass I see! xx
Thanks Flighty…..lol….can you see ALL of the grass, wouldn’t like you to miss any!xxxx
Gosh that must have been a 3 weetabix breakfast! Amazing transformation – just read back over the tree felling carnage – you must be thrilled, or will be when your muscles stop aching! I really admire your determination to keep going until all the turf was laid, impressive!
Lol….I have arms like a builder sadly…..and hands that shouldn’t belong to a woman, but I also have grass so am still smiling! Long hot baths ease the aching bones….
I did think it was going to take forever, and turfing in gales is a little soul destroying, but to have grass again is truly wonderful. Thanks Caro.xxxx
What a transformation, your garden looks so different with grass down. I think Sam and Annie have a lot to answer for, but we wouldn’t deny them their fun, would we? I’ll have The Green Green Grass of Home playing in my head all day now.
It’s amazing the difference grass makes isn’t it, I hadn’t realised just how much I’ve missed it.
Sam and Annie certainly know how to enjoy themselves, running like the wind seems to be their favourite pastime, but as you say they have to run so I have to manage it better. I’m going to alternate lawns when the back is ready for walking/galloping on so hopefully they won’t wear it out this time. Sorry about the song….I’m still singing it! Thanks Jo.xxxx
Beautiful grass!!! But crikey yes, what a lot of work.
Just had cows over mine. Or deer. 🙁
It is a lot of work and it’s seems to take ages to make any impact. I’d say it took me about five days to lay it but longer to fill in all Sam’s holes! Shame about your grass, I do hope it grows back. Thanks Rusty duck.xxxx
What a transformation! I completely understand how exciting it is to see a muddy mess change before your eyes. Well done 😀
You have a really gorgeous yard! I love that stone circle. You installed it yourself? I was going to do something like that but Judy didn’t trust me to do it right so we are paying someone. I have laid paver and stone paths in the garden but those were more informal.
Thanks Jason, the garden is certainly looking a little better than the dust bath it was. I did lay the circle, I really wouldn’t pay anyone to do it, it’s simplicity itself. Mine came with a stone center which I laid first then everything else fits simply around it. I then moved the center piece to plant a tree. I leveled the ground first then laid the stones on a sand base. I have to concrete mine in still but that’s straight forward as well. Give it a go….it’s fool proof.xxxx
WOW! You don’t let the grass grow under your feet, do you? Oh..em, yes you do! What back breaking work ~ most admirable, and so worthwhile to see the difference by putting down turf. I am very impressed and look forward to seeing your garden grow ~ in the meantime I’d be just staring at the grass with a big happy smiling face 🙂 Well done!!!
Lol…I truly hope the stuff manages to grow under the dogs feet. I can’t wait for spring now, I have lots of bulbs and plants waiting to pop their pretty heads from the soil. Every day I’m out there, raking the leaves off my new turf to help it grow, and all the time I feel happy and carefree just looking at the stuff. The rest of the garden seems manageable now, I’ll do a little each day and soon have it in shape. Thanks Glo.xxxx
BRAVO!!! I’m so impressed with your planning and implementation. And I am certainly NOT going to mock your box hedge. Free is nothing to sneeze at when one has paid ££££ for tree removal!
I wonder if Sam and Annie could expend their energy on walks where delicate lawns aren’t in danger of their thunderings. Hm. Probably not. But I have duly admired that rich green grass wherever you’ve lovingly tucked them in.
By the way, I’ve often fertilized mine with alfalfa meal (which the roses love) and mulch with grass clippings and that’s worked pretty well. To keep the mowing job down, I don’t have a lot of lawn but a strip of green is lovely to behold. Gives your eyes a place to rest.
BRAVO again!
Thanks you SO much for the two Bravo’s Nikki…..and for being so sweet about my hedge.
Sam and Annie also go on long walks as well as galloping, they seem to have so much energy, they eat like horses yet don’t have a pick on them, just solid muscle.
Lol….thanks for admiring the grass, I really appreciate seeing this area green again.
How interesting that you mulch with grass clippings.xxxx
You have been working hard! Grass does transform things.
Thanks Sue. It certainly does, it’s an instant feel good isn’t it? xxxx