Where's my tidy gene?
CurlyCarly
Posts: 80
in Talkback
Oh dear,
I've spent the last few days going round gardens that are opening to the public.
How do folk manage to keep on top of the weeds and have everything looking so pristine? I've been told to tackle one bit of the garden at a time then work on the next. The trouble is if I turn my back for a day the weeds seem to be making a come back!
Apart from employing a gardener, which is out of the question for me, does anyone have any tips?
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15 mins a day weeding duty taking one bit at a time. Persistence in short bursts is better that a blitz once a week.
I can't keep up. I have the National Collection of 'plants in the wrong place'.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Dave that sounds really good in theory. I live in Scotland, garden on wet clay soil, and it is impossible to go out every day to hoe It has to be every dry day with a trowel! On the other hand I wouldn't dare open to the public
Curly I think the people who do spend the last few days before opening in a bit of a panic
keep the lawn the lawn cut and the lawn edges trimmed, that always makes a garden look really tidy, and keep the edges of the Border really weed free.
Remember you don't know what help be it professional / a handy neighbour / out of a bottle they've had!
We went to a gardens about a month ago, and I was shocked at the number of weeds they had. It was all I could do to stop myself pulling things out there and then (automatic response!) So maybe the trick is to look more carefully in the gardens you visit - you'll find something they've overlooked, and that will make you feel better
I agree about the lawn - when you've cut the grass, everything looks orderly even if there is the odd dandelion in the beds. Mulching helps.
I just opened my garden for a charity garden party. Afraid I did lots of weeding on my knees on a mat with a trowel. But what made the biggest difference was OH mowing. Took him a fraction of the time it took me! That was last Saturday, weeds, especially bindweed are coming back already!
That was brave Busy-Lizzie, but then your garden is beautiful to behold. I was asked via OH if we would take part in the village's 'open gardens' day this year, but I just don't feel ready. Maybe next year when I've moved things about a bit (but then again, I said 'next year' last year...
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