Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1   Report Post  
Old 06-04-2016, 02:52 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Apr 2016
Posts: 4
Default lawn alternatives for damp clay soil in shade ?

Hi,

Am not much of a gardener , but feel there must be a better way, am looking
for a grass alternative for a shared back garden. The area is damp and the
soil is subsoil pure clay, currently there are the remains of a lawn which
is loosing to sphagnum moss , looking for something that gives ground cover,
low maintenance could be played on by children

Ian
  #2   Report Post  
Old 06-04-2016, 04:40 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Oct 2015
Posts: 596
Default lawn alternatives for damp clay soil in shade ?

In article ,
Ian wrote:

Am not much of a gardener , but feel there must be a better way, am looking
for a grass alternative for a shared back garden. The area is damp and the
soil is subsoil pure clay, currently there are the remains of a lawn which
is loosing to sphagnum moss , looking for something that gives ground cover,
low maintenance could be played on by children


Moss :-)

More seriously, there's nothing better. Strictly, it's not sphagnum
moss, but what the hell? We often call it that. I recommend just
mowing it when needed, and otherwise saying 'sod it'.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.
  #3   Report Post  
Old 06-04-2016, 05:35 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Apr 2016
Posts: 4
Default lawn alternatives for damp clay soil in shade ?

Chris Hogg wrote:

On Wed, 06 Apr 2016 13:52:20 +0100, Ian
wrote:

Hi,

Am not much of a gardener , but feel there must be a better way, am
looking for a grass alternative for a shared back garden. The area is damp
and the soil is subsoil pure clay, currently there are the remains of a
lawn which is loosing to sphagnum moss , looking for something that gives
ground cover, low maintenance could be played on by children

Ian

I'd agree with NM's suggestion of moss, but also add
'mind-your-own-business' aka 'baby's tears', Soleirolia soleirolii,
which is very low growing, difficult to kill off, and my late mother's
shady lawn is full of it. But a warning: if you have flowerbeds around
the edge of the lawn that you like to maintain weed-free, with bare
earth visible between the plants growing there, don't plant m-y-o-b in
the lawn, because it spreads relentlessly, even growing on bare stones
it seems, and is difficult to eradicate once established. Lots more
about it here http://tinyurl.com/j7skpm4

Sounds good, no flower beds, but may be too invasive only a railing to the
next tenement block lawn, garden is shared between 4 tenement flats , the
other 3 flats using the garden are rented by private landlords - grass
cutting can be an issue - so looking for a planting solution less work than
grass to avoid the problem


  #4   Report Post  
Old 06-04-2016, 05:45 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Feb 2016
Posts: 17
Default lawn alternatives for damp clay soil in shade ?

Ian wrote:
Hi,

Am not much of a gardener , but feel there must be a better way, am looking
for a grass alternative for a shared back garden. The area is damp and the
soil is subsoil pure clay, currently there are the remains of a lawn which
is loosing to sphagnum moss , looking for something that gives ground cover,
low maintenance could be played on by children

Ian


I've read that you can use white clover. No idea what it looks like in
winter, though.
  #5   Report Post  
Old 06-04-2016, 06:14 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Oct 2015
Posts: 596
Default lawn alternatives for damp clay soil in shade ?

In article , Dan S. MacAbre wrote:
Ian wrote:

Am not much of a gardener , but feel there must be a better way, am looking
for a grass alternative for a shared back garden. The area is damp and the
soil is subsoil pure clay, currently there are the remains of a lawn which
is loosing to sphagnum moss , looking for something that gives ground cover,
low maintenance could be played on by children


I've read that you can use white clover. No idea what it looks like in
winter, though.


Definitely not. It's tall-growing, and doesn't like being walked on.
In context, the simplest thing is just to mow it, and let what weeds
survive take over. Quite a lot of the most pernicious lawn weeds
actually make very good lawn plants. The smaller clovers, vetches,
self-heal, eyebright, daisies, even plantain. Many of them won't
like the soil, but the ones that will, will take over.

Yeah, it's not According To The Book - but it works, as well as
anything else will in such conditions.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.


  #6   Report Post  
Old 06-04-2016, 07:03 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,166
Default lawn alternatives for damp clay soil in shade ?

On 06/04/16 13:52, Ian wrote:
Hi,

Am not much of a gardener , but feel there must be a better way, am looking
for a grass alternative for a shared back garden. The area is damp and the
soil is subsoil pure clay, currently there are the remains of a lawn which
is loosing to sphagnum moss , looking for something that gives ground cover,
low maintenance could be played on by children

Ian


Have you considered artificial grass? For example, see:
https://www.expressgrass.com/

--

Jeff
  #7   Report Post  
Old 07-04-2016, 03:17 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Apr 2016
Posts: 4
Default lawn alternatives for damp clay soil in shade ?

Jeff Layman wrote:

On 06/04/16 13:52, Ian wrote:
Hi,

Am not much of a gardener , but feel there must be a better way, am
looking for a grass alternative for a shared back garden. The area is
damp and the soil is subsoil pure clay, currently there are the remains
of a lawn which is loosing to sphagnum moss , looking for something that
gives ground cover, low maintenance could be played on by children

Ian


Have you considered artificial grass? For example, see:
https://www.expressgrass.com/

Hadn't, interesting idea, however no info shown on how long it takes nature
to grow on / through or what its like for skin abrasion - anyhow prefer to
work with nature than fight / blanket it out
  #8   Report Post  
Old 10-04-2016, 06:05 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Mar 2016
Posts: 4
Default lawn alternatives for damp clay soil in shade ?


"Ian" wrote in message
o.uk...
Hi,

Am not much of a gardener , but feel there must be a better way, am

looking
for a grass alternative for a shared back garden. The area is damp and the
soil is subsoil pure clay, currently there are the remains of a lawn which
is loosing to sphagnum moss , looking for something that gives ground

cover,
low maintenance could be played on by children

How big is your lawn?


  #9   Report Post  
Old 19-04-2016, 03:06 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Apr 2016
Posts: 4
Default lawn alternatives for damp clay soil in shade ?

Frank Booth wrote:



"Ian" wrote in message
o.uk...
Hi,

Am not much of a gardener , but feel there must be a better way, am

looking
for a grass alternative for a shared back garden. The area is damp and
the soil is subsoil pure clay, currently there are the remains of a lawn
which is loosing to sphagnum moss , looking for something that gives
ground

cover,
low maintenance could be played on by children

How big is your lawn?

Approx 12m x 10m
Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Damp soil lawn advice?? thewhisperingon Lawns 4 21-04-2009 07:09 AM
Help picking planting for damp shade Jonny88 United Kingdom 0 26-06-2007 08:19 PM
Dog friendly plant that will tolerate shade and damp conditions ? Rachael of Nex, the Wiccan Rat United Kingdom 12 14-08-2004 01:15 AM
Shade shade shade stephane Boutin United Kingdom 6 18-05-2003 07:32 AM
Clay Clay and More Clay BTInternet News United Kingdom 0 19-03-2003 10:32 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 06:05 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 GardenBanter.co.uk.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about Gardening"

 

Copyright © 2017