The Great Lawn

The Handyman made a general comment on this blog the other day when he said that it was tricky sometimes to understand where in the garden I might be in any particular post; he also commented on the lack of attention the top lawn receives on the blog.

I'm planning on addressing his first comment by creating a walk through the garden in a post to come...currently a work in progress. To remedy his second point, I dedicate this post to the Great Lawn.

You should understand that this area is primarily the domain of the Handyman, he created the shape and the levels and selected, sowed and tends the grass.  He also, at least once a year, enlarges the circles in which the shrubs and trees which edge the lawn sit.

The work began in 2008, with all the ground works; setting the levels, flattening the top, and all the preparation for sowing the grass seed.

Not the Somme, but the start of the Great Lawn

Hmm, interesting (yet effective) riddling of the ground

Over the past 5 years the Handyman has nurtured the grass, cutting it at least once a week through the growing season, accompanied by some colourful language as the lawn mower (not a ride on version) misbehaves.  We have planted a number of trees and shrubs which are now becoming established and the transformation is incredible every time we remind ourselves of where we started.

inherited and re-sited Christmas trees

sambucus nigra - glorious in flower

So now as you enter the main drive at Holly Grove, through Stars Gate, the Great Lawn is on your left, all along the edge there are shrubs and trees to shelter and provide a screen for the garden from the drive.

One half of the Great Lawn

All of the Great Lawn

It has been interesting for me to focus on a view of the garden that I rarely consider and reminded me of all the work that has gone into Holly Grove over the past 8 years - helpful to reflect on what has been achieved so far rather than on what is yet to be done - thank you Handyman for the prompt!

A Path Much Travelled

The Handyman almost always has a hard landscaping project on the go at Holly Grove and the early Spring of this year was no different.  I made, what I thought, was a subtle comment on the grass path between the main drive, where we park our cars, and the house.  Through the Winter months this can become quite muddy and slippy, and in the Summer the grass becomes worn with the continual traffic.

June 2014

Not so subtle it seems, I came home from work one day in March to find the grass being lifted and, concrete blocks laid for the edging setts and stone being laid as foundations for a lovely gravel path.  Then edging setts placed on the boundaries, black (dark grey) dust on top of the stone and then the final pea gravel in shades of grey and pink. All topped off with solar lights to light our way from the driveway at night (you can just see them at the bottom of the pergola posts).  Beauty and function!

June 2015

PS We were so taken with the colours and quality of the gravel path that it now continues along the back of the house and up into the swing seat garden, adding it to the north side of the house is a work in progress.