Low-maintenance suggestions please!

40701085

Hi folks
In a bit of a dilemma & time is against me. Have 1/4 acre of garden that I've cleared of weeds over the autumn/winter, now its ploughed, rotavated levelled & raked - good to go.

Only problem is I don't know what to put on it that's low-maintenance!!

• Trees - no, soil is good fertile clay & once the trees are in, there's no out.
• Lawn - can't seem to find slow growing grasses, I have grade 2 on the front half of the site & the constant mowing drives me crazy.
• Wildflowers - soil probably too fertile & weeds will get the headstart
• Clover - v expensive & may not suppress the weeds
• Vegetable Garden - my preferred option, if I was only retired!

Whatever I put down I'd like to have the option to take it up again in years to come, should I want to expand my present veggie plot.
Looking for some novel ideas - I feel like I've got only a week or 2 at most before the jungle takes over again!

Sorry it's long-winded but I'm sure there's some good advice out there...

magicbastarder

concrete!
seriously though, you've ruled out most things i'd have suggested.

Eyeore

You could get a few pigs.

40701085

Lawn plus sheep is becoming a real possibility...

Sgt Pepper 64

Cover it with anti weed membrane, comes as a big black roll.
Then cover that with chipped bark. You can get quotes for bulk quanititys.
Its a big area, so you can try a bit of garden design, do a small lawn and some flower beds and veg area.
Good thing about the membrane is you can cut holes in it and plant

magicbastarder

helicopter pad?

Sonnenblumen

40701085 wrote: »

Hi folks
In a bit of a dilemma & time is against me. Have 1/4 acre of garden that I've cleared of weeds over the autumn/winter, now its ploughed, rotavated levelled & raked - good to go.

Only problem is I don't know what to put on it that's low-maintenance!!

• Trees - no, soil is good fertile clay & once the trees are in, there's no out.
• Lawn - can't seem to find slow growing grasses, I have grade 2 on the front half of the site & the constant mowing drives me crazy.
• Wildflowers - soil probably too fertile & weeds will get the headstart
• Clover - v expensive & may not suppress the weeds
• Vegetable Garden - my preferred option, if I was only retired!

Whatever I put down I'd like to have the option to take it up again in years to come, should I want to expand my present veggie plot.
Looking for some novel ideas - I feel like I've got only a week or 2 at most before the jungle takes over again!

Sorry it's long-winded but I'm sure there's some good advice out there...

I'm afraid if cutting grass is challenging, you're in a spot of trouble.

looksee

http://www.camomilelawns.co.uk/

Im Only 71Kg

if you have water on site..rent it as allotments or just one allotment plot. you cant go wrong. veg is the way to go..you can sell it at the local market when the time comes.

Rinker

You could let your garden grow wild and be a haven for wildlife and clear it whenever you decide what you ultimately want.
As for wildflowers, you can get them for fertile soils. try www.pictorialmeadows.com . I've used them and it worked wonderfully. Enjoy your garden:)

magicbastarder

if it was me, i'd plant birch all over it. it'd be high maintenance for a few days if you ever wanted to take them out, but you wouldn't have to mow it a couple of dozen times a year...

karl tyrrell

chickens will keep it clear or a polytunnel or a goat:)

jezko

40701085 wrote: »

Hi folks
In a bit of a dilemma & time is against me. Have 1/4 acre of garden that I've cleared of weeds over the autumn/winter, now its ploughed, rotavated levelled & raked - good to go.

Whatever I put down I'd like to have the option to take it up again in years to come, should I want to expand my present veggie plot....

A Big Area but if it's suitable ... think about a field of Heathers.....

Some maintenance involved but not as much as a Lawn...

Sounds like you would be better of hiring a Gardener once a fortnight :-p

Antiquo

If you want to extend your veg garden in a couple of years I'd be planting the whole area with green manure plants they will suppress most weeds and greatly improve fertility.

Depending on what plants you sow you can sow it and leave it or rotovate it do it again next year hardly back breaking or time consuming.

johno2

Agreed, green manure, clover and alfalfa, maybe get a few sunflowers going too. Cut and compost twice a year and wait until you have time to spend on the garden.

johno

Munster Tom

The japanese have a saying that the best people to look after the garden is an old man or a young boy because there is no perfection in nature.

I have a buddy who specialises in Japanese gardens to do a garden for me and there is no maintenance involved ...

http://zengardendesign.info/ have a look at the gallery page - you will definately get some good ideas

Tom

40701085

A lot of great ideas there that I hadn't considered, I will use a combination of them (even ordering the helicopter tomorrow m-bastarder ) so thanks for all the contributions, really helpful


La Fheile Padraig shona daiobh!