Mark to the rescue again

This is a view of our garden from the roof of the house taken in 1999. The pond and stream and all the rocks are in place but planting has just begun. Initially the garden had stepping stone rocks and lots of curves. I thought we needed more geometry to tie the deck and house to the garden. The result was the addition of bluestone squares and the neatly-edged grass square. I suggested we add that grassy shape to look as though the deck was built over it. 

The grass looked good in the early years before we added trees which are now twenty years old. The shade from the original trees as well as those we planted pretty much put an end to the grass square. 

We debated all sorts of solutions from very low ground cover plants to gravel in a different size and color from anything nearby. Before last summer's tour of our garden as part of the Central Region Conference of the American Conifer Society we temporarily covered the area in pine needles. 

It wasn't a bad solution but it just didn't seem right aesthetically to either of us. So just days before this year's tour from the Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, Mark decided we should go back to the beginning and re-sod the square. As with most projects, it was easier said than done. 

When Mark went to buy the sod he could not get as many rolls as he needed. Multiple trips were ultimately required to get the necessary rolls as there were weather-related delays in cutting sod to sell.

Then, of course, this area is chopped up into so many small sections that he rarely used an entire length of sod without cutting and fitting it into the desired shape and size.

That said, it looks fabulous to our eyes and we are thrilled with the way it popped the garden into a degree of crispness it was lacking.

Well worth the time, money and very sweaty equity it took!

Comments

[Kristin]

Beautiful!!

[Barbara H.]

It looks fantastic. Hope it lasts a long time in spite of the shady conditions. Your stone work is marvelous.

[ceci]

This is the perfect use for grass, assuming the shade allows it to continue to flourish.....and if not its lovely right now.

ceci

[Linda Brazill]

All of our other grass is now being seeded with clover or replaced with Carexes and ferns since it is more shade than sun. But this crisp little square is a big improvement.

[Kris P]

Well-conceived and the update was flawlessly executed (even if it took multiple steps to get there).

[Lisa at Greenbow]

This is mighty crispy. I think it really makes the plants, stones and even the deck show up nice. Good job. Nothing like a last minute rush to get you all tidied up for the tour.

[Lisa at Greenbow]

P.S. I enjoy seeing before and after pictures.

[Nell]

Pine needles gave an even more Japanese feeling to your garden, and seem especially appropriate for Conifer Society visitors (pandering, even! ). But the sod square v.2 is brilliant, and it's wonderful that you have such good shots of v.1. Hope the arboretum-ists were suitably impressed.

[Nell]

The post-tour rain takes on renewed significance in light of this account, too! Nothing like it to help knit together Mark's laborious piecework.

[Frank]

How exciting to freshen it all up like that! For as much as some gardeners like to poo-poo lawn there's no more restful and inviting surface imo... assuming it's been nicely cut and trimmed, such as mine became today!
That said I just removed a little more grass this afternoon to even out a border. My garden is still on the too-much lawn side of the equation.

[Linda Brazill]

This little swatch of lawn is the only real grass lawn left. We are planting clover into a law under our Bur oak tree which we refer to as the Oak Savanna, a very Midwestern prairie landscape. Our two sloping hills have turned from grass to a mix of everything and now almost entirely weeds. So my current task is to transform them with Carexes, ferns and gingers. So far it is little clumps of Carex with bare dirt in-between.

[Linda Brazill]

More rain last night so it is really helping our grass settle in.