Post category: Site

 

The ideal site for a lawn is a reasonably level piece of ground that gets full sunshine. A slight slope will not matter – except that it requires more effort to mow – but steep slopes can be very difficult to mow. If there is a slope with a fall of greater than 1-in-3, put in a retaining wall and a terrace, or plant the slope with suitable plants.

 

An open lawn surrounded by mixed borders

 

Consider the lawn as a distinctly separate area of the garden, bordered by borders, flower beds, pathways and paved areas – an area of the ground surface of the garden, not a general surface into which these other ground surface treatments are placed.

The lawn should not generally contain other features except perhaps for one or two specimen trees or shrubs, or island beds in a large lawn. Otherwise the impression of space is lost.

Choose a favourable area for the lawn and use trees, shrubs, flowers or paving as appropriate for the rest of the garden. The lawn will look better and will be easier to keep. Choose the lawn area for as much sun as possible.

Lawns in the shade of trees, tall hedges and buildings take longer to dry out and tend to be moss-infested. Near hedges and under trees, they suffer from drought in summer as well. In the shade of trees, use ground-cover shrubs or herbaceous plants instead.