Grass in muddy garden
 

Hi

I have a garden of 2 types, the top is fantastic - good top soil and
well drained. The bottom is solid clay with about 4" of topsoil on it.
I seeded last year and on the top have some lovely ornamental grass.

However, the bottom is a mud bath, not surprising really, it develops
10' by 4' puddles that take about a week to drain. The grass did take
initially, but unfortunately it tears up really easily under foot. I
have improved the drainage on the bottom by digging a sump and pumping
away the excess water, but although there is no standing water now, it
still gets saturated.

Can anyone recommend a grass mix for these wet conditions, that may
survive and even flourish in these type of conditions?

thanks

Andy

Grass in muddy garden
 

In article .com,
"AAJ" writes:
|
| However, the bottom is a mud bath, not surprising really, it develops
| 10' by 4' puddles that take about a week to drain. The grass did take
| initially, but unfortunately it tears up really easily under foot. I
| have improved the drainage on the bottom by digging a sump and pumping
| away the excess water, but although there is no standing water now, it
| still gets saturated.
|
| Can anyone recommend a grass mix for these wet conditions, that may
| survive and even flourish in these type of conditions?

Not one that will take mowing. There are plenty of marsh grasses, but
they are normally lush and don't do well if mown short. Why not turn
that into a bog garden?


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Grass in muddy garden
 

Thanks for reply

unfortunately its right out side the back door, and the dog loves
diving in head first. He'd enjoy a bog garden, but it probably wouldn't
be practical 8-)

cheers

Andy

Grass in muddy garden
 

"AAJ" wrote in news:1144755426.402618.212690
@z34g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:

Thanks for reply

unfortunately its right out side the back door, and the dog loves
diving in head first. He'd enjoy a bog garden, but it probably wouldn't
be practical 8-)


If it needs to stand up to not just wet but muddy dog too, unless you can
dig it out and radically improve the drainage I fear you are stuck with a
mud-pool

If a bog garden is not possible, could you put down a membrane and cover in
decorative bark or gravel and decorate with pots, rather than having it as
a lawn?


Victoria
--
gardening on a north-facing hill
in South-East Cornwall
--

Grass in muddy garden
 

"AAJ" wrote in message
oups.com...
Thanks for reply

unfortunately its right out side the back door, and the dog loves
diving in head first. He'd enjoy a bog garden, but it probably wouldn't
be practical 8-)

cheers

Andy

how big is the muddy section of the garden?

rob

Grass in muddy garden
 

Its not too big, I'd guess 100m2. It has a 3m2 fish pond in the middle
and about another 12m2 is flagged for a sunny area, plus a couple of
gravel paths running through it, so there isn't a huge amount.

I don't want to flag or gravel it though, I'm thinking of digging some
new french drains to my sump, however, If there was a more hardy type
of grass, I would try that first.

cheers

Andy

Grass in muddy garden
 

"AAJ" wrote in message
oups.com...
Its not too big, I'd guess 100m2. It has a 3m2 fish pond in the middle
and about another 12m2 is flagged for a sunny area, plus a couple of
gravel paths running through it, so there isn't a huge amount.

I don't want to flag or gravel it though, I'm thinking of digging some
new french drains to my sump, however, If there was a more hardy type
of grass, I would try that first.

cheers

Andy

maybe too big for what I was thinking, essentially, some form of raised
wooden terracing/decking across the worst part of the bog that you could
somehow link up with the better part of the garden. If the garden slopes
down it might make a nice feature to terrace from the door out across the
boggy parts and grade it back into ground level of the 'good' garden. The
deck would only need to be a few inchs off the earth and you could
incorporate the fish pond into it. It would take some building and cost a
bit in timber. It is one way of retiring really boggy areas of garden though
and could make a nice outdoor area for entertaining/recreation etc.

rob