What to do about the lawn (mud patch)
Penny19
Posts: 53
I am tearing my hair out trying to decide what to do about my so-called lawn. As you can see, I have a narrow garden ( this is the bottom third of it), with quite wide borders and a fair amount of shade, although most of it gets some sun during the course of the day, apart from the north facing aspect (LHS). This is looking towards the west.
The main problem I have is two dogs, one of which is young and boisterous (not to mention two dogs next door who bark continuously and wind my dogs up!). I have tried to fence parts of the grass off and reseed it but as soon as I unfence it, it gets torn up again. I confess I have been trying to avoid re-turfing it for financial reasons but am beginning to think I am going to have to bite the bullet.
Has anyone got any suggestions?
Posts
Why not just dispense with it and make another nice border. Lawns are very difficult to maintain if you want something pristine so I would abandon it in favour of lots of nice perennials and shrubs.
I have thought about dispensing with it but dogs need some space!
What about making the area slightly smaller for cost reasons and use the plastic lawn, my friend did this in her front garden, said it looks great, hassle free and it won't wear out. Even if you returf it will wear in the end. We have 4 dogs, had 6 until this year. They do make 'runs' in the lawn, shortest routes to gate and kennels, if i put fence up they have to go round for a while, that helps, but the run returns as you say, also lots of rain recently which really doesn't help....
I was also going to say what about looking at some kind of astroturf? I know a couple of people with small-ish spaces that have gone down that route because the dogs create a mud bath with their playing and running about! I have a large garden and plenty of space but our dog (bless her) always uses the same route to chase pigeons!! It drives me mad!!
Shade, narrow space and dogs. That will be hard work with grass. I'd forget about it - you'll make more work for yourself trying to make grass thrive and look half decent. The narrow space makes it tricky to have separate areas for the dogs - especially in wetter weather. They won't have room to spread the damage, if you know what I mean! Gravel would be better or the aforementioned fake grass if you want some greenery.
The garden has to work for your needs Penny
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I used to have a beautiful lawn - then I got a dog.
Much like yourself, I have to concede that dogs and lovely lawns are not compatible.
You can fill in the spots where the grass has died with some topsoil which will help, but it's a never-ending process. You could train your dog to use a certain spot for a toilet, but rushing around the garden or playing ball will take its toll.
Astroturf looks ok from a distance, but I,m not keen on the stuff.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Not Astroturf Pete - artificial grass. Two different beasts
Some of the new stuff is very good. It's changed enormously in the last five years or so.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I love my garden but the animals come first. I don't believe that you can have your conditions, your dogs and good grass, I'm afraid. I don't personally like artificial grass and I feel a certain distaste for cleaning up dog poo on it rather than real grass. So, my own choice would be to put up with the mud patch and distract the eye with your borders and pots. It's not an easy problem to solve, this one.
Yup I see lots of the stuff during the course of my work, with varying names - even the expensive stuff looks way too perfect (and still looks artificial) and feel is horrible.
Grass is grass - the rest is plastic
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I'd never recommend artificial over the real thing normally, Pete - but grass grown badly, in the wrong conditions looks dreadful and behaves badly in a residential garden. Done carefully and with some good planting, I think the fake stuff can be very useful. Bit of colour in a darker space
Am I convincing anyone?
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...