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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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?

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