Here's my problem - a big lot, 5 different sections - as you know I've been doing a lot on it - little gardening beds in shapes, etc. A lot of
weed transplanting goes on with me, 'cause I don't see buying good
plants as an option, especially in light of the drought we just went through.
I prefer to follow the natural course of this land - acidic with pines, some austrian - some maple on the north part, some scrub maple (a lotta' scrub
trees, I could live without), and a lotta'
weeds too.
A lot of clay in the soil.
Rain and any other nutrients are (I suspect) sucked up by the
trees. The only things that really do well are the
weeds.
I've been cleaning - I have ended up with some big bald patches.
For instance? The middle lot . . . some grass, that I'm sure is mostly scrub growth - that lumpy stuff.
This is what I think I should do:
1) Keep weeding, transplanting what are truly wild
plants and grow into nice ground cover;
2) In the fall get some topsoil and rake it over - tilling is out of the question - there's too many roots sticking up out of the ground;
3) Get some
seed and spread it over the topsoil;
4) Water it well, then let the gawd-fearin' leaves fall on it;
5) Hold off raking the leaves till November when it's all fallen.
I think this will bring grass for next
spring - but . . . but, but, but . . . I would truly like to forget about grass. I'll tell you why . . .
I don't really consider this as being 'grasslands'. I don't really think this land should be lawn. I think of this lot as a 'woodland'. And a woodland doesn't look like 'grounds' on an estate - it looks like a place with
trees and natural wild growth.
But I need something - something other than big patches of dust.
I'd like to
plant clover! Why? 'Cause I like clover - it's green, it's lush and it's just so pretty.
Am I right in thinking this?
Any other ideas? Like some kind of
seed that will bring me good ground cover - bugleweed, something like that?
Or should I just keep following my gut instinct, keep right on collecting flat stones from the lakeshore and making the places where I have to get green going, smaller and smaller.
Should I make a proposal to the landlord (who is Jeff's employer, he being the Superintendent/Manager). Should I start getting quotes from landscapers and let somebody else do it?
You know how I'll be if I do that - I'll be at the front window jealously looking on as the work progresses.
We might not even be here by next
spring - we're hoping for a chance to move on somewhere - a place where we can have more freedom to get away together.
But still - I care about this lot - it's fallen into my hands and it's mine.
Oh, I'm so torn. If I came into a boodle of money I'd hold the old lady who owns it hostage till she sold it to me.
Jeff would want an immediate divorce, but I could console myself by looking at all my clover.