On 7/10/12 6:21 PM, classixuk wrote:
Hi everyone,

After denying it for some considerable years I have come to the
conclusion this year that I absolutely detest gardening. These past 2
summers have been the worst and where there was once a lawn (if you
could ever call it that) is now just a bed of weeds and nettles.

Out of pure consideration for both my dog who needs to toilet there, and
my poor neighbours who have to look at the sorry state everytime they
open their bedroom curtains I have decided that this year I really need
to sort it out once and for all.

I'm looking for ideas from people who love gardening. Half the reason
being that I am a hairdresser who can cut many styles and invent many
colours, but when a client tells me they want 'low maintence - wash and
leave' I try to still use some creative thought into making something
suited to them than simply utilitarian.

My non gardening loving friends have so far suggested 2 things - "flag
it over" or "get that false grass stuff", neither of which appeals to me
(or my neighbours I imagine) so could I possibly draw on your experience
and creativity to help me with a very low maintence plan?

My garden is typically suburban. Rectangular - 30ft wide by 70ft long. A
full width shed sits at the bottom of the garden and a full width decked
patio sits at the top which is accessed by 2 patio doors.

It's the 'sea of green' that lies in the middle of those 2 areas that
gives me such a headache every year (totally embarrassed here admitting
this).

Here's what I like to use my garden for: Letting my dog out to go wee or
poo at night or through the day, Having 2-3 intimate barbeques per year
on the decked area, Storing stuff, burning stuff (just occasional
paperwork from work that contains private information such as client
addresses or contact details etc. - I tried shredding and it takes AGES
- much faster to burn), and I guess if it was tidy without risk of being
stung by nettles I would love to have a covered hammock or swing to sit
in occasionally to read my kindle.

Oh, and I am not keen at all on any bees or wasps coming anywhere near
me hence me not ever wanting to mow the lawn in the summer!

Many thanks in advance if you can help me out with some ideas that will
work long-term.

Chris

I love gardening. However, I found it very useful to have a
professional design my garden.

I designed the garden in my first house by myself. It was quite
beautiful, but it was high-maintenance. In the summer, I was gardening
by moonlight because there was not enough daylight.

For my second house, I had a professional design the garden. I told him
what I wanted and that I needed something that required much less effort
to maintain. It too was beautiful, and I enjoyed it far more than the
garden at my first house. Some 30 years later, I had the garden
completely redesigned. By then, I was too old to install it myself and
instead had the professional install it. This one is even more
enjoyable, and I am able to maintain it myself.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary