Watty's Awakening

Cherryfudge

I found this on buttercup control - it's American but I think one of the pictures is what I'd call a buttercup. She seems to be suggesting a link between autumn grazing and buttercup explosions, and buttercups being slowed by competitor plants. I think this is possibly another way of looking at what you've observed: fertile land would encourage those competitor plants. She links timely mowing before flowering to stopping the seeds developing. 

Whichever way you look at it, manuring the ground is going to benefit in the long term. Perhaps you could get people to pay you (as you did the farmer) to take away the muck from their stables, and turn it to your advantage!

That's a bit of a dilemma about the potential garden cost (says she, just having paid for new paths). It could be a help if you want to sell, but on the other hand, it could be like putting in a new kitchen - you've no idea what the next owner will want and they might just want to put their own stamp on things. It's good that you probably won't need to replace the mower though. Perhaps you could offset that saving against other garden costs?

Watty1

thanks for that @Cherryfudge  I couldn't sleep around 2 am so now know more about creeping buttercups that anyone might need to LOL    I'm going to dig up few and put in the non lawn as the grass where the VNM;s daughter's car sat for so long died off.  The lawn never really stands up to WattyDog anyway so I've daisies and other wild flowers in where the lawn would be and say it is good for wild life

When the house goes on the market I will need to do something with the lawn but for now I'm not going to worry about it.

Have thought and chatted with gardener and have a plan.   I've decided to have him do most of the work as I can run a promotion for the September course and that will pay him.    The paths need relaying (and I'm not up to that) and the patios need cleaning, weeding, re-sanding and repointing so that needs someone to do it.

A lot of the other work I could do but am not getting to and I think someone making a difference will be helpful for two reasons.  Firstly, work needs doing if I am to sell,  Secondly it will make the garden "mine"   I know it is mine but the general decay set in with PPH and it needs a lot of effort to restore and I love what I have done with inside of the house even if it is not finished.   Currently I walk through the gardens to get to the field area. If I eat outside, I do it at the stables.  I ignore the gardens.       I think mental health wise, the gardens need re-doing so waiting for him to tell me when he can start.

daisy_1571

sounds like a really good idea 

Dxx

greenbee

Watty - turn the lawn into a 'wildflower meadow'. It's very much in fashion, and wattydog can make paths in the long grass which you can then mow to make nice curving paths through it (having said that, it may end up being flattened by zoomies, which is what I suspect will happen here this year!). Maybe have a look for info about Monty's Dog Garden at Chelsea for ideas to make a Wattydog-friendly space. 

Cherryfudge

I think you will thank yourself as well as the gardener once it's done. It will be a real mental boost, as you say. I don't know what the timescale will be, but encourage him to put some winter appeal in too - not just for you but depending on when you put the house on the market, you will be stuck with a snapshot of whatever day the photos were taken.

I love that you can pre-plan how to fund it and tick that one off your list.

Just a thought for the lawn - tie a packet of wildflower seeds on WattyDog's collar and make a tiny hole in the corner, then throw a ball for him over the lawn. Problem solved - a naturally sown wildflower garden! Some of the wild flower selections thrive on neglect and poor conditions, they just need timely mowing. Either that, new turf or regular work...

TallGirl

Another vote for letting the gardener do the work sounds like an ideal solution. 

Slinky

Unless you would actually enjoy doing the gardening work, it's better to pay someone else who specialises in that area to do the work, whilst you concentrate on using your skillset to earn the money to pay them to do it well.  We had our garden hard landscaped, it took the chap 3 weeks, we could never have done it, if we'd have attempted it would have taken years. We could have paid several hundred extra for a planting plan (not including the plants!), but decided we'd do that bit ourselves, which makes it ours, rather than completely being someone else's ideas out the back of our house. I'm sure he wouldn't think much of my choices and placement of plants, but I'm not bothered about that!

Watty1

The lawn as a wildflower meadow seems a fabulous idea.  It is after all a mess, it is very poor fertility and I don't want to look after a "nice lawn".    

That one is absolutely going to happen. I spent a happy half an hour browsing wildflower seeds and plugs earlier   I have even found some wildflower seeds someone gave me one year at Christmas.   Probably to late to try them but I will (where the car was would be an ideal spot).

I'm waiting to hear when he is going to start, but, I am really excited now I have taken the plunge.  There once was a lovely garden outside and if he can restore that and then I plant up the borders with plants WattyDog can trample over, well lets just say excited here.

Also, @greenbee's mention of MontyDon dog garden at Chelsea piqued my interest.   I used to go to Chelsea long before PPH, I loved it.    My house when I met PPH had a lovely garden as a previous boyfriend had gifted me a surprise patio (he did it whilst I was away) and then together we laid a little wandering bark path, and planted trees and all sorts.  It was beautiful and I loved gardening. There was a topiary bear (about 5 feet tall) and it was charming.

Somewhere along the way I lost the love of gardening, partly because it is so big here, partly thanks to WattyDog's enthusiasm but also because there really wasn't any spare cash.   Anyway given the "dog friendly garden at Chelsea" I found the programmes on the I player.   I'm really enjoying them. 

Thank you all.  

greenbee

Just go out and scatter some seeds! Cosmos love poor soil - mine is rubbish, so I sow masses of them. Marigolds are lovely and cheerful and seem to grown anywhere. Likewise borage. And it won't matter if Wattydog squashes them.

Stinky eats dandelion flowers, so I let them grow. I also mowed yesterday (I have some grass that isn't mowed, some that is mowed long, some short), and left a huge patch of buttercups as they look so cheerful

PennysIntoPounds

If I was looking for a home to buy I would be enchanted by a wildflower lawn and more likely to purchase. Don't worry about trying to predict future strangers tastes, do what's easiest and most pleasing to you now