We’ve had sun and rain, 30C and 13C temperatures and a dialogue around my least favourite part of the garden, the upper lawn. As regular readers will now, this piece of moth eaten grazing has been a bugbear over the last few years. While the laowerr lawn, even when stressed, holds a stripe and looks pretty good the top lawn has gone from this
to this
and then to this.
I want it gone. I want a dry garden of raised beds and tubs on hard standing small stones. I had it all planned out. This bed
is going to be paved with an arched arbour, underneath which we will run pipes from the roof drains to capture 20,000 litres of free water in a tank that will then be pumped around the garden to keep it watered.
I accepted that plan would be in two parts. This month we will have the new paving laid and spaces from the arbour supports included with the pipes laid underenath. But the arbour itself and the tank will be installed this time next year.
The delay? My son was to have been married in a delightful Oxfordshire church this weekend gone. Covid did for that plan and it will now be next year. But in postponing the event the venue has had to change. And in a sort of serendipity, that has meant the happy couple choosing our local church here in South London, with the reception and after party in our garden.
When that plan became a reality, it was immediately appent that a 20,000 litres tank that had yet to be screened fully wouldnt have added to the essential wedding ambience so I graciously sugggested the two phases.
Next up the arbour. Whatever we planned to climb up it would have had little time to get going. So to allow for extra seating, and tent like awnings the installation of the framing is to join the tank as a 2021 project.
Dear reader, I was doing fine at this point. Really. V good. Top notch. Chipper.
Until…
High heels.
?
Yep, those calf-busters, beloved of fashion and femininity. Apparently – I’ll take everyone else’s word for it – vertiginous spikes on feet and a loose gravelly ground cover go together like toffee and onions. I was thwarted and promised no one would notice if the upper lawn looked like the 2020 or 2018 versions. I suggested that I’d notice and was told something that, hitherto hadn’t been my focus: this wedding isn’t about me.
Bit of a stunner that.
Anyhoo, here’s some August photos and Dog to cheer us all up.
TanGental 
You have a stunning garden, with or without the upper lawn. And you’re right about the gravel and high heels. The stones create havoc with the heels. Not that sinking into a lawn is much better in stilettos, though. You could just ban them and hand out those little stretchy slippers to everyone in high heels! :-))
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I can just see me doing that,!! I’d probably get banned from my own house!
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1) you could tell everyone to kick off their shoes (believe me, the spiky heels go bad with lawn as well). 2) so glad I’m done with weddings for any foreseeable future. 3) More Dawg! (sort of like more cowbell).
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Dear dog will put in an appearance I’m sure
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I can’t imagine what is wrong with the upper lawn. Is it a rain issue? I thought you were getting plenty. Oh well, the rest of the garden looks terrific, and Dog as smart as usual.
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Really hot then little rain until recently. The roots are rubbish too
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Ah, rubbish roots. Not good. One needs non-rubbish roots in one’s lawn.
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I can dream
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They make some nice Astro turf these days. Would hold up undr high heels too.
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Oh heck, if i suggest that I’ll find a soda and blankets in the potting shed… thanks but no thanks John..
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Hahaha. At least there would be a soda. You coulds trade that for a sofa maybe. Well, it was worth the suggestion.
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Soda or sofa… you decide
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Yes. Had a nice laugh on soda.
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Another wedding!! How wonderful. No one will notice the lawn as they will all be looking at the happy couple and their charming parents. And dog of course. xo
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Oh you silver tongued cavalier!!
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😄
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The good news is that the lawn will get aerated with the heels, lol. Enjoy the wedding!
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Yes take the positives Jacquie
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What, the wedding’s not about you. Hope my sons don’t have any silly ideas like that when they get married [giggle]. Why does you lawn look so awful. Is it just to dry?
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Dry and poor roots
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Oh dear, well the water should take care of the dry, I’m not sure what can be done about poor roots though. Have a good weekend, Geoff.
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I am so so jealous! Even your struggling yard looks better than mine.
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You’re just being kind!!
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I am with you on this Geoff, BAN THE HEELS! WHAT ARE YOU MAN OR MOUSE? …. Don’t answer that …
More dog please 💜😉☺️
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Eek eek…
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Lol , I just knew that was coming 🐁🐀🐁🐀
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If you have all these flowers next August you will be fine. Reserve the top lawn for those with heels then you will get free scarification.
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That is a plan!!
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That last dappled photo with the sedums is lovely 😊
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Sometimes i get it right!!!
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Your plan for the upper lawn sounds terrific – gardens are better than lawns any day (except for croquet and lawn bowling). Perhaps some suitable shade of spray paint might be applied, for appearance’s sake…?
And congratulations on the impending wedding (even though it’s not about you). 😉
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I still find it hard to believe that I’m not given a credit on the invite…
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Oh, that *is* sad! We made a point of naming both sets of parents on our wedding invitation. I’m sure it was not at all proper, but sometimes the right and the proper part ways. I strive (not always successfully) to follow the right…
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Lawns are just green deserts anyway! … weddings are mostly about the wedding planner!
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Oh stop it! I don’t even want to think about the sarcasm I’m going have to channel into the pond when I confront Prudence Twinnipple of whatever the wedding panner is called. I just know I’m going to eat my spleen if she starts dribbling on about the journey…
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Beautiful flowers. No-one will notice the lawn at the wedding, just the bride and groom, and flowers. What big changes you have had to make, Geoff! It will all come together.
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I hope so: I’m buying prozac in bulk in anticipation…
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Haha!
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