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Problem with my lawn

SupermumgillSupermumgill Posts: 9
in Problem solving
I have a South facing garden with a 30 foot by 20 foot lawn.there is a huge conifer (over 50feet) in the garden behind mine that slightly overhangs the back end of my garden.over the past few years,my lawn has deteriorated to the point where there is hardly any grass,just mud! I have tried reseeding several times but as I'm not an experienced gardener,I probably didn't prepare properly. I'm now looking at getting the lawn professionally relaid and having the conifer cut back to my border as far as possible. Am I throwing my money away? Does a new laid lawn stand any chance of succeeding whilst the conifer is still there?? I would appreciate your advice.thank you
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  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 29,645
    The conifer will certainly be sucking up lots of moisture and nutrients from the garden altho if your grass has become just mud that would indicate a drainage problem, not excess dryness.

    Is it just your lawn that's affected or are other plants suffering too?  There's not much point investing in laying a new lawn without identifying the problem and doing decent soil preparation first.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • SupermumgillSupermumgill Posts: 9
    edited March 2020
    Thank you.there is a drainage problem but mainly at the end of the garden nearest the conifer.the grass is just very sparse and patchy. Do you think that with proper prep,a new lawn would take?? The plants at the end nearest the conifer seem to do ok although it is the most shady area of the garden so i have tended not to plant very much.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 29,645
    If you want good grass you need to fix the drainage.

    Have a read of this - https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=204 and then follow the links and search around the RHS site for more info.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • Papi JoPapi Jo Posts: 3,994
    Supermumgill said:
    Thank you.there is a drainage problem but mainly at the end of the garden nearest the conifer.the grass is just very sparse and patchy.
    As @Obelixx says, it's surprising that you should have excess dampness under a large conifer. I do have a fairly large Caucasian fir in one corner of my garden, and the lawn is dryer over its roots, esp. in the summer. But it does not prevent my lawn (and the borders) to grow nicely. See attached pic.

    You are invited to a virtual visit of my garden (in English or in French).
  • SupermumgillSupermumgill Posts: 9
    Thank you for your comment.as you can see from the attached pic,the lawn is very sparce and wet. In the 20 years we have lived here, the lawn has gone from quite green and lush but has got particularly bad over the past 2-3 years. I'm just concerned that if I have it returfed, I don't want to spend good money only to find it going the same way again in the next 2-3 years!!
  • SupermumgillSupermumgill Posts: 9

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 29,645
    Looks like it's getting no direct sun any more and also the soil looks compacted so in need of thorough aeration.   Neither situation is good for growing healthy grass and I would reconsider having a lawn there.  If you really want on it's going to take a great deal of soil preparation and then the right selection of grass seed - fescue rather than the more usual rye - https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=416 

    I'd be inclined to lift those slabs out of the way and get the entire lawn area rotavated to a decent depth and then work in some fine grit and sharp sand before trying to level it to make a lawn.   However, I would urge a re-design and try planting beds of shade loving shrubs and perennials - after soil improvement - interspersed with paths or a paved seating area.   
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • SupermumgillSupermumgill Posts: 9
    Thank you so much. That's just the sort of advise I was hoping for as I'm not confident that would get sound advise from a returfing company who might just be after my cash!!
  • Papi JoPapi Jo Posts: 3,994
    @Supermumgill I see on your photo that you have a Rotary Clothes Dryer located right on your lawn. This means a lot of trampling on the lawn, which is far from ideal.
    Also, as remarked by @Obelixx , that part of your lawn looks as if it remains in the shade most of the time, is that so?
    Finally, is that all you have for a lawn (as shown on the pic) or do you have a wider view?

    You are invited to a virtual visit of my garden (in English or in French).
  • SupermumgillSupermumgill Posts: 9
    Only use the rotary dryer maybe once a week and only in the summer months as the lawn is too muddy to use in the winter. Also lawn is exactly as you see it in the pic.it is shady at the end of the garden due to the huge conifer but otherwise from about 1/3 of the way upwards,gets the sun most of the day throughout the summer as we are south facing
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