Eddie J

Latest posts by Eddie J

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organic lawn feed

Posted: 05/05/2012 at 12:57

Ritna, I guess that I really should have added the following.

Whilst the ash method works for me and my lawn, it may pay you to try a small area first, just in case you don't get the same results.

April in Your Garden

Posted: 30/04/2012 at 20:02

Inkadog wrote (se

Eddie, I realise what an enormous amount of work it is to clean up after having large trees like that removed.

I've managed to find another photo from late 2008.

And here is the same area this evening.

The lawn isn't as good as it may appear, it's just the angle of the photo.

And this was one of the many roots being dug out.

Luckily I have been both a tree surgeon and also owned and operated excavators. Both careers are long in the past, but it certainly helps to keep costs down on the odd occasion that I do need to do something.

April in Your Garden

Posted: 29/04/2012 at 22:14

That's now an impressive size border to the left of the pathway.

advice please

Posted: 29/04/2012 at 22:05

As it was turf that you had laid, you should be able to cut it when you can no longer take hold of the edge of a piece of turf and lift it. Once it has begun to take root, you shouldn't have any problems. Let the grass dry out, and keep the mower on a high setting for the first few cuts, then gradually reduce the cutting height so that the grass is cut to your desired length. It is also worth changing your cutting direction each time that you cut the lawn.

Do you consider gardening to be like art?

Posted: 29/04/2012 at 21:58

One thing that does strike me, is just how un artistic many suppossed garden designers are. In a previous career I used to carry out alot of work for different landscape architects and garden designers, some very well known and some not so. One thing that they all have in common is a complete lack of flare and originality. Without fail you could walk from one finished garden to another and sadly know who designed it. They all just follow the same boring trend, and this follows through into education. I've frequently seen students posting questions on forums about trends etc, and to me this is a major flaw within the landscape industry. Teachers should be teaching the students to set trends, not just follow what is already out there.

One designer who does think outside the box and who I've always admired, not least because he isn't afraid of using concrete as a design medium, is Diarmuid Gavin. You can still tell which gardens are his, but at least he tries and isn't afraid to be different.

Square Foot Gardening

Posted: 29/04/2012 at 21:29

Last year just as experiment I mixed up all of my old veg seed, then sprinkled it across several large beds. I realise that this isn't quite the same, but the results were very impressive. I had less insect/slug attacks, all crops flourished, and what I didn't have time to pick and use, I just left to run to flower. This in turn looked fantastic and also served to help the local bee population out.

Even now, I am still using the leaks, onions and parsnips.

The system may or may not work if I tried it again, but it's still a good way of using old seed and worth a try.

Ground cover plants - suggestions

Posted: 29/04/2012 at 21:16

Variegated Vinca Minor gets my vote. It stands almost all abuse and neglect and somehow manages to survive in even the driest of conditions.

Vinca Major is just more invasive and hassle when it comes to clearing debris of leaves that may cover/fall on it in the autumn.

Variegated Vinca Minor

April in Your Garden

Posted: 29/04/2012 at 20:35

That is a real shame Sue. It is bad enough when events like this happen just through bad weather, but when a problem is already known, that really grates. We had a similar thing with a neighbours tree in the last lot of bad weather. I told the neighbour that their tree was dangerous, but they choose to ignore me, and sure enough it fell down across not only our garden but two adjacent ones as well. People are sometimes just so ignorant about taking advice, how ever well put.

David, that view is stunning.

April in Your Garden

Posted: 29/04/2012 at 20:01

Inkadog wrote (see)

Eddie--just--Wow!

Thanks.

Just a couple more before and after of the front.

Again late 2008, and then just a few mins ago in bad light. The remaining firs are in the neighbours garden, or they wouldn't be standing now either. Again all work was carried out by myself.