Grandmas Garden
David Curtis
Posts: 3
Does anyone have any ideas for my grandmas garden? I need something low maintenance as she is quite elderly. Just wanting something the great grand kids can go out and play in, and family BBQs etc. The grass is more weeds than grass. It's all uneven and when trying to cut with a mower just tends to rip big chunks out. I've managed to strim a lot of it down but it's just generally a mess. We can't afford to pay someone to do it either. Does anyone have any suggestions? Will post some pictures soon. Thanks in advance guys. 
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Posts
The slabbed area needs treating with weedkiller, unless someone wants to get on their hands and knees and pull out all the weeds.
The grass area needs mowing. A hover with a sharp blade should do it.
Most mowers will pull out chunks unless the blade is sharp.
I'm assuming that with four generations there is enough persons fit enough to do it.
Hi David - there is a garden lurking under there somewhere - if you look closely you can see some of the shape of it - you have the path going down the centre, the little gazebo, bird box and at the back fence some wire? For climbing plants? This garden was loved at some point.
If it was me I would clear as much grass, weeds etc out as I could to expose the shape. Then start thinking about shaping the boarders and path with a hoe.
Depends really how much time can be spent on it week in week out as to what you plant etc.
would love to give you a hand - great little project to work on! Good luck
well ,to state the obvious you will need to de weed that patio,just get a trowel and dig out the weeds.you could plant up pots with flowers which can be changed easily and bring bright cheer. I would grass a small lawn and have a border with small bushes or bi-annuals that do not take much looking after,and a nice clematis on that treillis a montania .
Found out council will cut elderly relatives grass as well because of her age. So you could check that out. What about some low maintenance shrubs? Potentillas , euonymus & hebes are easy to keep.
Have a check at the pots to see if there is anything worth saving & tidy them up as well. Get rid of any that are easy broken.
Good advice from Loriloo about low maintenance shrubs. Hebes root so easily from cuttings, as indeed does forsythia. Break them off at a node point and just stick them in the ground, and wait!
Get some weedkiller (Pathclear or similar) on the paved patio area. May take aa couple of goes then clear up the dead foliage. Strim the grassed area and resow any obviously bare area, Good idea about the council. Cut new edges round the grass and put a few climbers on the fences. Plus a few flowering shrubs that won't get too big - potentillas and hebes are a good idea. Cover all bare soil round the edges with a thick covering of chipped bark to deter weeds. A few pots of summer bedding or small bed between the patio and grass will give a bit of colour. But it will need regular maintenance if the council can't cut the grass.
Also to be honest the 'grass' is a mixture of miss, weeds, sick leaves and nettles. The ground is also incredibly uneven to be honest I don't think I'd ever be able to use a mower on it.
I'd there anything I can do about this?
I agree with the nice lawned area and a border running down with some good mulch on it to stop weeds!