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Small Garden Needs Ideas

briffsterbriffster Posts: 11
in Garden design

Hi G.W forumee's.

We have a small back garden that has been in need of some help and ideas for the past few years since we moved in. It is about 25ft x 15ft, basic lawn with no borders (fence lawn fence)with patchy grass on top of mud/soil (I know this time of year makes it look worse) on top of the builders rubble.

I have tried re-seeding it and lawn feed and scarifying it over the past 3 years.

Now our 2 children are at the age where they want to be playing out in it. We feel we need to approach it more seriously. We have a little raised bed with herbs growing but this can easily be moved. We have also been give a 7.5ft trampoline which would like to find a home towards the bottom of the garden. The garden is east facing so we get the sun (when it turns up!) first thing in morning till 3pm then we are chasing it.

Can anyone suggest any ideas of how to improve the lawn considering the soil/rubble quality and which grass seed is best for children.

Any help is very welcome before I get Jewsons to drop off 100 paving slabs image

Posts

  • sotongeoffsotongeoff Posts: 9,802

    Just to clarify-you just want to keep the whole area as grass?- but want tougher grass to withstand lots of walking on etc?-and guessing you dont want to dig the whole lot up and start again?imageimage

  • flowering roseflowering rose Posts: 1,632

    keep the lawn as a free space for children to play and grow child friendly plants ,you could use pots of herbs and perfumed flowers.you may want to grow plants on the fence to save space.a little patio space with  a sand pit with lid.keep it simple .image

  • Pennine PetalPennine Petal Posts: 1,540
    Hi briffster, your garden is a similar size to mine and also in NW. Can't help with lawn as I don't have one, but do y have some space for some nice flowering shrubs?
  • briffsterbriffster Posts: 11
    Not sure what I want to do with it sotongeoff. Was contemplating removing a section of grass and putting down bark chips for trampoline area. But aside from that...its a blank canvas

    We have lots of fragrant herbs in raised bed so may move them into pots.

    Is there a simple solution for improving a lawn?
  • sotongeoffsotongeoff Posts: 9,802

    A lawn will respond quickly to a generous feed at the right time- in the spring and also in the autumn-but there are different feeds

    The spring one produces good green growth-the autumn one develops root growth to see it through the winter

    The key is often in the mowing-if you scalp the lawn say every 2/3 weeks it is slow to recover-mow it once a week and do not cut it too short-depends on what sort of mower you use-but if you can adjust the height then bring it up a notchimage

    Don't start doing anything just yet-it is too earlyimage

  • briffsterbriffster Posts: 11
    Thanks sotongeoff. Getting a good lawn is primary concern, then i can decide from there. Many thanks
  • briffsterbriffster Posts: 11
    Is it possible to get a decent thatch on poorish soil? Any suggestions on which seed would be more suitable and harder to damage
  • sotongeoffsotongeoff Posts: 9,802

    Go for a rye grass mix-just for a general lawn-rather than a bowling green miximage

  • briffsterbriffster Posts: 11
    Brilliant. Thanks again. Green fingers crossed.
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