"pied piper" wrote in message
...

"seren" wrote in message
...
we did let the grass grow in the autumn but it's been so wet here lately
it
doesn't stand a chance. we have very chalky soil here so drainage isn't
great at the best of times. the main problem is probably the dog who
races
round like a greyhound tearing up great clumps which then just turn to
mud.
i can't see grass ever surviving to be honest as there's just too much
traffic on it. i notice the garden next door but one looks pretty much
the
same and they have 2 kids who play football on it all the time. would
bark
chippings work as a temporary solution???


"david" wrote in message
...
we had a lush green lawn when we moved in we now have mud and more
mud.
"

I bet that you kept the grass cut short and had a last cut late Sept
or
in
October.

With all that traffic on the grass, you would be well advised to let
the
grass grow in the autumn, so that it was around 3 inches long going
into
the
winter, this will protect the ground and slow up the churning. It is
harder
to get it back short in spring, but do you need to keep it as short as
you
have been?
Sounds to me as if you have a Working area of grass. more a playing
field
than a bowling green,
--
David Hill
Abacus Nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk


chalky soil would give u good drainage as for gravel u would end up with
it everywhere through the house the same goes for chippings why not employ
a
gardener to help with the lawn or just keep off the grass when its wet



LOL - i'd have to tie the four kids and the dog up to keep them out of the
garden.....