I can sympathise with you, when we moved into our home found the front garden was where the cement mixers were stationed, plus roof tiles stacked lots of builders debris, couldn't grow anything, so built up with composts and planted heathers, did the trick
I have started transforming this back garden. I am doing a double-digging hoping it will be better next year. I just worry about the winter when it could be flooded again. But I've got to try.
I have removed the actual top clay soil (20 to 30 cm down) which I am disregarding. Broken down the second layer below with the garden fork. Mix this layer with organic matter like grass cut and "black gold" aka horse manure to improve the deep soil. I then replace the top layer with dark top soil full of nutriments.
Both the manure and top soil are taken free from people who disregard them. The grass is already growing but I need to improve my technique to spread them better as I am using my hand to seed and I have patches where no grass is growing. But I will get there eventually.
By next year my garden should look a lot different from now hoping winter don't do much damage with these moss.
Any idea how to fight the moss in the winter even with possibility of flooding? Although the fact that I have aired the deep soil should improve soil permeability and nutrition. And I might have to do that again next year. i hope no as it is a lot of work though.
Yes that's good old Somerset clay and if you live near to the River Parrett you may well have a high water table most of the year. I really would give up the battle to have a lawn and go for something else.
We're in a new build, on clay, but nowhere near as poorly drained as your garden. I really wanted a nice lawn but gave up on it after a year and replaced it with patio and raised beds.
I would keep an eye on it over winter and see how the ground reacts to all the hard work you've put. At least it'll give you an idea of what you could plant in there.
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I would keep an eye on it over winter and see how the ground reacts to all the hard work you've put. At least it'll give you an idea of what you could plant in there.