shady & wet
 

In the far corner of my garden it is shady & wet (large trees behind garden,
no sunshine), the soil is clay and my lawn has died (due to the wet?) Has
anybody got any ideas how to help my grass to grow?

What if I where to plant some thirsty plants in the area, would this help?

By the way, I am not an accomplished garderner, but I think I am going to
give my garden a good go this year.

Thanx.

shady & wet
 

"Jap" wrote in message
...
In the far corner of my garden it is shady & wet (large trees behind
garden,
no sunshine), the soil is clay and my lawn has died (due to the wet?) Has
anybody got any ideas how to help my grass to grow?

What if I where to plant some thirsty plants in the area, would this help?
I doubt you'ld find anything as thirsty as the large trees that are casting
the shade :-) A corner of my lawn regularly gets an inch of water sitting on
it but the grass is growing fine ( it's just a normal mix) so it's probably
the shade that is doing the damage. You could buy a special shade tolerant
grass and re-seed the area but your best bet is probably to put some plants
there instead. If you want to use the water as well then a bog area might be
good. Apparently Gunnera manicata will grow *really* huge if planted in the
shade.

In the wettest part of mine I removed the turf ( because although it was
growing I didn't have much use for a sodden, muddy area ) and then raised
the soil level a bit and planted with shrubs.

Martin.

shady & wet
 

I agree. Don't fight it, just dig up the grass. I had a similar spot in my
old garden & the Gunnera flourished. If it's moist & shady wouldn't some
tree ferns be ideal?

"Martin Sykes" wrote in message
...
"Jap" wrote in message
...
In the far corner of my garden it is shady & wet (large trees behind
garden,
no sunshine), the soil is clay and my lawn has died (due to the wet?)
Has
anybody got any ideas how to help my grass to grow?

What if I where to plant some thirsty plants in the area, would this
help?
I doubt you'ld find anything as thirsty as the large trees that are
casting
the shade :-) A corner of my lawn regularly gets an inch of water sitting
on
it but the grass is growing fine ( it's just a normal mix) so it's
probably
the shade that is doing the damage. You could buy a special shade tolerant
grass and re-seed the area but your best bet is probably to put some
plants
there instead. If you want to use the water as well then a bog area might
be
good. Apparently Gunnera manicata will grow *really* huge if planted in
the
shade.

In the wettest part of mine I removed the turf ( because although it was
growing I didn't have much use for a sodden, muddy area ) and then raised
the soil level a bit and planted with shrubs.

Martin.

shady & wet
 

"Jap" wrote:

Hello Jap

J In the far corner of my garden it is shady & wet (large
J trees behind garden, no sunshine), the soil is clay and my
J lawn has died (due to the wet?) Has anybody got any ideas
J how to help my grass to grow?
J What if I where to plant some thirsty plants in the area,
J would this help?

No - even the thirstiest plant doesn't drink much in the winter.

J By the way, I am not an accomplished garderner, but I think
J I am going to give my garden a good go this year.

Improve drainage is the only way, I'm afraid. Amount of effort is
directly proportional to the effect in this one. And even then, if
it's constant shade then grass will struggle.

--
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK Ý http://www.digdilem.org/

shady & wet
 

"Jap" wrote in message
...
In the far corner of my garden it is shady & wet (large trees behind
garden,
no sunshine), the soil is clay and my lawn has died (due to the wet?) Has
anybody got any ideas how to help my grass to grow?

Give up on the grass and plant things that like wet, shady places. I used
ferns, including a tree fern, for a similar area in my garden.

Colin Bignell

shady & wet
 

Colin wrote in message ...
In the far corner of my garden it is shady & wet (large trees behind
garden,
no sunshine), the soil is clay and my lawn has died (due to the wet?)
Has
anybody got any ideas how to help my grass to grow?

Give up on the grass and plant things that like wet, shady places. I used
ferns, including a tree fern, for a similar area in my garden.


Agree, my first thought was "lucky chap, make a good fernery".

--
Bob

www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in
Runnymede fighting for it's existence.