Sumbee, I think you need to accept that some men have a "thing" about grass
Explain to him that artificial turf is not maintenance free then try to get him to focus on the bit near the house. You have windows looking on to gravel area and, if you intend renting out the house, viewers will be put off if the first part of the garden that they see is a mess.
The gravel area does not look that big so you could clear it yourself in an afternoon. Pull out as many weeds as you can (they should be fairly shallow rooted), then put weedkiller down to kill the rest in March time when they are beginning to grow. Use the weedkiller for paths if you do not intend to plant into the gravel. Otherwise use something like Weedol. Job done for a few hours labour. And not much cash. You may wish to spread some new gravel over the top just to freshen it up a bit.
As for the lawn - both quotes seem excessive.
A) If you are strapped for time and can't spare half an hour every fortnight to cut it,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,then leave it as it is but do cut with a mower some paths through it that end in a mown circle of grass for some chairs. Keep the paths and the circles mown every fortnight which should take all of 15 mins. That would be fine for you and for subsequent renters. When you come to sell your house, the new owners can turn it back into grass if they wish. If you cannot even find that amount of time in a fortnight then now is the time to start tracking down a gardener/OAP/young lad to come and cut the paths for you.
Artificial turf has the problems you list.
It is a big area to hard landscape and will be very expensive.
If you want to turn it back into lawn then get someone in to cut it down (it will have to be strimmed unless they have a petrol scythe which can be hired) then keep it cut once a fortnight March to October. Feed it and weed it twice through the season and see if it starts to resemble a lawn by October. If so, keep on giving it regular cuts the next year and regular weed and feed. There are companies around - check the websites - that come 4 times a year to weed, feed lawns - may be worth tracking one down in your area.
If by October it still resembles a weedy lawn, then think about getting it lifted and returfed.
In both A & B you will need to NOW find a grass cutter. Don't wait until March as by then they are fully booked for the season.
'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
If you do decide to restore the lawn or get it relaid then you might want to consider a robot mower. They have come down in price quite a bit and are very effective. We have one as we are away quite a lot and it is brilliant! We haven't had to cut the grass since we installed it last May. (Also mowing the lawn was my least favourite garden task!)
I haven't read all the posts, but if your OH wants to spend £4,000 on artificial grass which obviously won't need mowing and the alternative is natural grass at half the price, then I would go for natural grass every time - and I would get someone in to mow it for you and do other garden maintenance too - using the money saved that you would have paid out laying the artificial grass.
If you are going to rent out the property some time in the future - in my experience many tenants aren't interested in looking after the garden (although you can write that into the contract), so you may end up having to get a regular gardener to spend a few hours keeping it under control.
Personally I think grass is one of the easiest areas to maintain in a garden. Real, living grass, with clover and dandelions. I'd focus on tidying things up, weedkill all that horrible stuff in April, get a strimmer 2 weeks later and strim it all down and rake up. Sort the grass that's there, tidy the edges/borders and don't go OTT on a garden you're not going to be present to enjoy after spending thousands.
Thanks everyone! I think he’s crazy to pay out for artificial. He works 2hrs away from the house and I work 3.5hrs away. That’s why we have limited time to work on it. He’s convinced the lawn is lumpy and needs to be completely redone. I’ve tried to explain people generally don’t set up table and chairs on the lawn if there’s a patio area.
The guy he got the quote from for both grass options hasn’t given him advice or real options. Hogweed I agree it seems expensive. I’m not comfortable with the cost.
I have followed this with interest, and l sympathise with your dilemma. Personally l feel that due to your lack of time and your OH's lack of interest in gardening, you'd be better off saving £4000 and paying someone to come in and tidy it up and then keep it tidy for you.
If you are planning to rent it out why spend all that money when someone else would be living in the house and getting the benefit of it. Just get it tided up for now and worry about investing in it when you have more time in the future - just make sure that whatever you decide to do, you get several quotes and if possible recommendations from friends and/ or neighbours if at all possible
Posts
Sumbee, I think you need to accept that some men have a "thing" about grass
Explain to him that artificial turf is not maintenance free then try to get him to focus on the bit near the house. You have windows looking on to gravel area and, if you intend renting out the house, viewers will be put off if the first part of the garden that they see is a mess.
The gravel area does not look that big so you could clear it yourself in an afternoon. Pull out as many weeds as you can (they should be fairly shallow rooted), then put weedkiller down to kill the rest in March time when they are beginning to grow. Use the weedkiller for paths if you do not intend to plant into the gravel. Otherwise use something like Weedol. Job done for a few hours labour. And not much cash. You may wish to spread some new gravel over the top just to freshen it up a bit.
As for the lawn - both quotes seem excessive.
A) If you are strapped for time and can't spare half an hour every fortnight to cut it,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,then leave it as it is but do cut with a mower some paths through it that end in a mown circle of grass for some chairs. Keep the paths and the circles mown every fortnight which should take all of 15 mins. That would be fine for you and for subsequent renters. When you come to sell your house, the new owners can turn it back into grass if they wish. If you cannot even find that amount of time in a fortnight then now is the time to start tracking down a gardener/OAP/young lad to come and cut the paths for you.
Artificial turf has the problems you list.
It is a big area to hard landscape and will be very expensive.
If by October it still resembles a weedy lawn, then think about getting it lifted and returfed.
In both A & B you will need to NOW find a grass cutter. Don't wait until March as by then they are fully booked for the season.
If you do decide to restore the lawn or get it relaid then you might want to consider a robot mower. They have come down in price quite a bit and are very effective. We have one as we are away quite a lot and it is brilliant! We haven't had to cut the grass since we installed it last May. (Also mowing the lawn was my least favourite garden task!)
I haven't read all the posts, but if your OH wants to spend £4,000 on artificial grass which obviously won't need mowing and the alternative is natural grass at half the price, then I would go for natural grass every time - and I would get someone in to mow it for you and do other garden maintenance too - using the money saved that you would have paid out laying the artificial grass.
If you are going to rent out the property some time in the future - in my experience many tenants aren't interested in looking after the garden (although you can write that into the contract), so you may end up having to get a regular gardener to spend a few hours keeping it under control.
Personally I think grass is one of the easiest areas to maintain in a garden. Real, living grass, with clover and dandelions. I'd focus on tidying things up, weedkill all that horrible stuff in April, get a strimmer 2 weeks later and strim it all down and rake up. Sort the grass that's there, tidy the edges/borders and don't go OTT on a garden you're not going to be present to enjoy after spending thousands.
Thanks everyone! I think he’s crazy to pay out for artificial. He works 2hrs away from the house and I work 3.5hrs away. That’s why we have limited time to work on it. He’s convinced the lawn is lumpy and needs to be completely redone. I’ve tried to explain people generally don’t set up table and chairs on the lawn if there’s a patio area.
The guy he got the quote from for both grass options hasn’t given him advice or real options. Hogweed I agree it seems expensive. I’m not comfortable with the cost.
How do you know? What area in m2 is being laid? What is the subsoil like? Access? Any drainage concerns?
I have followed this with interest, and l sympathise with your dilemma. Personally l feel that due to your lack of time and your OH's lack of interest in gardening, you'd be better off saving £4000 and paying someone to come in and tidy it up and then keep it tidy for you.
If you are planning to rent it out why spend all that money when someone else would be living in the house and getting the benefit of it. Just get it tided up for now and worry about investing in it when you have more time in the future - just make sure that whatever you decide to do, you get several quotes and if possible recommendations from friends and/ or neighbours if at all possible