Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Bumpy, uneven garden that needs new grass.

matcurrPXw3_rp6matcurrPXw3_rp6 Posts: 2
edited October 2021 in Problem solving
Good day and hello from a new member.
I'm not much of a gardener but I'm trying. The back of my garden was raised and had a big shed on it. I've got rid of the shed and removed tons of raised earth. (It took 5 skips.)

I'm almost at the end of that part and working my way to a nice level edge. However some of the garden is still raised and I could do with reseeding the grass.

Am I better just breaking the lot up with a fork and turning it all, taking it level and then putting some seed down?

At some point I want to replace the fences at the back and the right also.

Posts

  • Jac19Jac19 Posts: 496
    edited October 2021
    What a great blank canvas.  I started with a similar problem 13 months ago.  The elderly lady who, I have been told, succumbed to Coronavirus, had a nice garden with some nice flowers, but much of it had grown wild with neglect from her being in bad health for some years.  But wild, with all those buttercups, is a paradise for bees.

    There are some nice trees that I love that she has left, though.

    If you try to take it all on at once, it is BACK BREAKING and OVERWHELMING!

    You are going to be living there.  So, take on only one square meter patch per week or per fortnight.  You will enjoy it that way.  It might take me 3 seasons (3 years) to plant the whole garden because I do like 1 square meter patch per month, but I am enjoying it.
  • Chris-P-BaconChris-P-Bacon Posts: 943
    I'd tackle your fences first - it will be easier doing it now.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Hi @matcurrPXw3_rp6 - is there a still a good bit of soil to remove? I thought I could see a bit in the back right? If so, try and get shot of that, but if any of it is viable, you could sieve it and spread it over the remaining grass to level it out. Handy if there are any dips or hollows. Re seeding can be done if conditions are suitable - ie temperatures, and the prep is properly done [you'll get help with that if you're ready] but it might be too late unless everything is done in the next couple of weeks [and your climate is still appropriate] otherwise you'd need to wait until spring.  It also depends on how perfect you want the lawn. They can be a quite hard work if you want them to be like Centre Court, but fairly straightforward if you just want 'green'.  :)
    It's usually better to do hard landscaping before any soft - so you may want to do that before the grass - it saves damaging it.  :)

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • didywdidyw Posts: 3,573
    We found that when we were reviving our garden after neglect, builders etc. it was easier to dig over whole areas rather than doing it piecemeal.  That way you can be sure of getting out pernicious weed roots that spread throughout a whole area.  We should have replaced a section of fence though even though it technically belongs to our next door neighbour, and I regret that.  So, as Chris-P-Bacon says I would start with the fence and then have a look at the border soil, marking out where you want your beds and improving the soil (well rotted manure is best).  You can level off the lawn with soil from the beds and reseeding it (in the spring) as Fairygirl says.  It sounds as if you are not afraid of hard work and the fences and border prep can all be done over the winter ready for planting/sowing next spring.  Good luck and keep us posted!
    Gardening in East Suffolk on dry sandy soil.
  • matcurrPXw3_rp6matcurrPXw3_rp6 Posts: 2
    Thanks for the tips all. I was working on the idea of trying to get the ground a bit more level before replacing the fence as it will be a costly job. Further down the garden (Behind me in the photo) is a section of fence that also requires a wall to be rebuilt.

    I think I will just work on levelling up to the wall and fence on the right and then get quotes for the heavy work. 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    That sounds sensible @matcurrPXw3_rp6. It's always tempting to crack on with a project, because it's a bit frustrating when you want to have something nice to look at, but it's the same as doing 'indoor renovation' - a lot of  work has to be done before you get to the pretty bits, and it's the prep that takes the time  :)  
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    @matcurrPXw3_rp6. Just wondering whether you're planning to put in any borders or whether it's all to be laid grass?

    If you are planning on borders you can easily 'lose' a lot of soil / disguise small height differences - especially if they're a decent size. My borders are at least 6 - 8" higher than the lawn but, with plants in place, you don't really notice it. The borders are higher partly because of the sloping site and also because the soil level has been raised over the years with added organic matter.

    I would also agree that it's best to get most of the hard landscaping / fences done before you start putting in the really nice stuff. If you can run to it you may find that a day's hire of a turf stripper and / or a rotovator is well worth the outlay to prepare for your new lawn🙂
    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
Sign In or Register to comment.