Ben Emms wrote:

...about stones...

for a marginal area at the back of a
garden along a wooded area grass is not too
likely to do all that well.

instead of spending money on sod or
topsoil find whatever you can scrounge for
organic materials and add that slowly on
the surface then let native plants take
over the area. they are adapted to the
soil and the light and won't need any care
at all.

if you want to mow it once in a while
that is fine. set the mower on the higher
settings, use a mulching mower and have at
it.

or you can put down a few inches of wood
chips over cardboard and smother whatever is
there and then plant shade loving decorative
plants in holes through the cardboard. water
a few times to get them established and then
they'll gradually take over the space as the
cardboard and wood chips degrade. no mowing
needed for that area then. you won't see the
stones any longer.

and/or find shade tolerant decorative shrubs
that will provide berries and flowers for the
birds and bees.


songbird