Advice Needed for Garden

Xylophonic

Hi,

Would anyone be able to offer me any advice on what to do with my garden? Basically I just want it to be flat, with some grass, at the moment it’s full of holes from all the rocks I have dug out of the ground , two massive mounds of muck, the grass is agricultural grass (or so I have been told) and there is a drainage problem. I moved in about a year ago and I have been digging up rocks, cutting the grass, cleaning ditches and removing waste from the garden and it just seems like an endless job. The soil seems to push up a lot of rocks and waste from when the house was being built.

Without it getting to expensive would there be a way for me to do this work by myself? Or do I require a landscaper of some sort. The garden is about 2 acres in size. I can attach photos if people wish to see them.

Any advice is appreciated,
Regards,
Darren

jezko

My first Question would be ...Do you have plenty of Time? if you have .. you don't really need to get a Professional in.... Because this is what you need most... and good Advice... :-)

Are you looking to reseed your lawn/Field? Agriculture Grass is fine if you are looking for a Tough lawn for the kids to play on.. What are your Needs?

Building Rubbish... Every Gardeners PET HATE!! There should be a law that say's we can send it back to the builders living rooms!!

2 Acres is a Big Area... I take it you are living in the Country

Can you see Why you have a drainage Problem?? Are you living on Heavy soil? is it Run off from the House site? All over or Trouble Spot's?

if you can identify some tasks that a Profestional could do to make your life eaiser what would they Be..

What is your long term plan for the two Acres... (Do you want to keep it under Grass) .. Plant a small "forest" or maybe a local person could rent an acre for livestock...etc.

Photos might help it'll fire peoples imagination

Xylophonic

I have enough time, as I’m free in the evenings and at weekends. We would be looking to use the garden for the kids to play on, but we mainly want it to look respectable. The agricultural grass grows very quick and is a nightmare to cut, but if the lawn needed reseeding I’d do it. I’m in Leitrim.

With the drainage there just seems to be a few uneven spots in the garden which causes the water to build up there. I guess the number one thing that would make life easier would be to have it levelled out, even if it was only slightly better than it is now, as it would mean I could but a decent mower ot cut the grass. I have been using a petrol one but it seems to breakdown so often because of the holes/rocks I hit with it.

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jezko

Xylophonic wrote: »

I have enough time, as I’m free in the evenings and at weekends. We would be looking to use the garden for the kids to play on, but we mainly want it to look respectable. The agricultural grass grows very quick and is a nightmare to cut, but if the lawn needed reseeding I’d do it. I’m in Leitrim.

With the drainage there just seems to be a few uneven spots in the garden which causes the water to build up there. I guess the number one thing that would make life easier would be to have it levelled out, even if it was only slightly better than it is now, as it would mean I could but a decent mower ot cut the grass. I have been using a petrol one but it seems to breakdown so often because of the holes/rocks I hit with it.

you don't mention if you have a ride on or self propelled lawnmower ....i can't imagine cutting it with a self push mower you'd be age's cutting it... but you have a interesting site.... not sure if I'd plant trees around your border... or create a wild meadow (where you have the rough grasses)

Xylophonic

I have a self propelled lawnmower. We didn't plant those tree's they were already there unfortunately.

jezko

If I remember correctly the Trees were mostly Birch... An Attractive fast growing tree...
They will shelter your Home, and give you Privacy and help With the Drainage of the site... and indeed after a few years you could use them as a Fuel.. ( If you have soild fuel fire in the house?)

Lawn looked a "Bit" Weedy, but nothing serious (Dig out the Perennial weeds or if you don't have an Issue use a Weed killer (Selective that kills ONLY Broadleaves) Most Agri stores would have several types) ... if you are finding it hard to Cut the Lawn due to hitting "rocks" soils mounds etc... you could Ask a Professional to reseed the lawn... But seeing how big the site is you could ask a Local farmer to reseed it for you... (May cost less) you will need to Plough, and rotavate and remove the "rubbish" I don't see it as a Problem to use Agri grasses... they are tough and used too being chewed/cut to a low level...

Otherwise try Cut at a higher setting on the mower... I don't envy you cutting all that Grass...

Think about Growing Some More Trees in the "Rough" Area...

Fruit Trees, Apples maybe Plums

A Bed of several Flowering Cherries,

http://www.odla.nu/artiklar/images/bilder/prunus_serrulata_kanzan.jpg

Under plant these Trees with Winter /Spring Bulbs.
Daffodils, Bluebells, Crocuses etc and allow the Grasses to grow into a meadow Cutting down the area and umber of Cut's you need to do on the site

Indeed if you have a Golden weeping Willow (Salix alba 'Vitellina-Tristis') in a Spot that is a Bit damp!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salix_Sepulcralis_Group_%27Chrysocoma%27

magicbastarder

Xylophonic wrote: »

those tree's they were already there unfortunately.

why unfortunately?
the photo of the rocks seems to show natural rock rather than building rubble - is the rock type local to your area?
it being natural, it leaves some scope for creating a feature from it.

also, i'd be wary about levelling the site and seeding it. just means there's a lot of maintenance on the lawn. why not plant trees?