75ZT Community

I never used to! I actually loved it at one point and always would be out in the garden working away, but I think that is the problem as I never get to enjoy it, there is always something to do...... The moment I sit and relax and try to enjoy the blooming garden I see something that needs doing, I end up getting up and doing it! then it snowballs and I end up doing more and more work....... it just never stops.

I want to concrete the whole garden (front and back) do away with the grass, shrubs and the blooming hedge. The hedge goes all around our property and it is blooming hardwork, yes! I am still young but flipping ek! it is a sod of a job. I did enjoy it once before and I would always make sure I would get the hedge totally cut tight and level, shape it in the correct places etc. I would spend hours and hours getting the lines cut straight (folk would always make kind remarks) which I was always proud.

.................but! now I am loosing all interest and thinking I may let the garden go to ruin, which does frighten me a little.

Anyone else get like this at times ?
Has anyone actually concreted their whole garden before, walls and all! with big big gates.......

Not quite, but have removed lawn and covered the whole area in paving, gravel, decking and raised beds covered in a thick bark overlay. Maintenance is now done with a leaf vacuum in autumn and an occasional pressure wash of the paving.

Oh, and forgot the 6 ft high close boarded gates.

Yep do away with the grass etc and free yourself from being a slave to the garden.

Bernard wrote:Not quite, but have removed lawn and covered the whole area in paving, gravel, decking and raised beds covered in a thick bark overlay. Maintenance is now done with a leaf vacuum in autumn and an occasional pressure wash of the paving.

Oh, and forgot the 6 ft high close boarded gates.

Bernard! thats does sound great, I envy you......

I forgot about the flipping leaves, what a pain they are! and Yes! I need a leaf blower and yes! also a pressure washer.......

Thats more money!
More room needed to store more garden tools!
Another new garden shed required!
Thats more work! ...............

PaulT wrote:Yep do away with the grass etc and free yourself from being a slave to the garden.

Paul! I am planning to do just that...................... I already got the large front drive in and finished, but wish I had made it bigger really......

How about getting some artificial grass which is what I am in the middle of doing.
I have not cut it to shape yet or fixed it down

Mr Kanndyman! that is going to be excellent for having a little putt from time to time.

How does that artificial grass wear and does it rot over the years with weather damaged ? Does look very nice and clean.......

Trouble is! we have quite a large front, side and rear garden (plus not all of it is level), would cost me a packet me thinks......... I just want to order that Concrete mixer truck to turn up one-day me thinks......

Same with me: never even had grass in the back, removed it the front. Gravel and patio. A few beds for flowers / trees / veg. But even so I neglected everything last year (spent the whole summer working inside the house) and now there's so much cleaning and tidying to do.

If you put gravel down, make sure you put weed control fabric under it, then the little blighters can't get a good root.

I know what you mean about hedges I have a six foot high one with 360 feet to keep cut.
Get really pissed off with it, least it's only on two sides of property, drive and fencing onother sides.
It's just to big when you have a busy schedule.
Can't imagine the cost of concreteing it all or artificial turf!

Thanks fellas I'm not on my own them......

I just don't understand how I have come to feel like this, I think I am going through some sort of mid-life change and turning into Victor Meldrew (this is what the wife and kids keep telling me).

What really gets on my tits is! all the work I've done over the years by planting shrubs here and shrubs there, building this here and that there etc visiting B&Q and the garden centers like you do over the years!

..............now the garden has matured, I can now see all the blooming extra work I have created for myself what a complete plonker.....

Know that one to, then you install a large deep pond with fish etc and create yourself heaps more work!

JohnDotCom wrote:Know that one to, then you install a large deep pond with fish etc and create yourself heaps more work!

Why do we do it?

JohnDotCom wrote:Can't imagine the cost of concreteing it all or artificial turf!

That will be £250!

Had someone round to give me a price for some additional hard standing and he said 'two and a half'. Someone else, who will remain nameless said 'yes, we will have it done' and later I got questioned as to why I had hesitated as it was only £250. I explained that the two and a half quote was for '£2,500'.

Paul

Before you go down the lines of concrete just take a minute to think of the aftermath of a British winter.
First a little pot hole arrives shortly followed by a larger one. You then have to wait a few months continually assessing whether you can afford to fill it in. Once you have decided this is the plan of action you need to go to the local builders merchants to purchase some yellow line marking spray to highlight the damage so that when the time comes to do the job you remember where the hole is and actually what a hole looks like. Finally on filling in the hole after hiring a cement mixer, purchasing sand and cement, carrying gallons of water in a bucket (as we will probably be in the middle of a hose pipe ban) the job will be completed just in time for the first frosts of winter!

Sorry to tell you this but it gets worse as you get older. Recently in the bath and noticed a mark on one of the wall tiles..............well you can guess the rest, not a pretty sight

takestock wrote:Sorry to tell you this but it gets worse as you get older. Recently in the bath and noticed a mark on one of the wall tiles..............well you csn guess the rest, not a pretty sight

OK! Yes! I can imagine.

......... and yes! I think you are correct in saying it gets worst when you get older, I am actually finding myself getting worst and I thought I would always stay so relaxed and laid-back(well! I was wrong).

If you think that is getting to you or hard work as you get a bit older take a look at this, when we moved to where we are now 3.5years ago this wa undertaken while i was recovering from a gall bladder removel op not the key hole one, i was opened up. but needs must.

First job was stick up the shed to hold all the garden tools etc,put up the fencing on the right which we brought with us from our old place. you can see shed top right corner but just look at the rest
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Started to clear overgrowth ready for planned garden.
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Been clening this up now for about a week before i decided to take these photos
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getting pads ready for decking
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pads laid out ready to set down decking
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will move forward in time as it would take me hours if i put up all the pics of how long it took i will at sometime try to make a slide view of it all.
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Boards laid with posts
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Post caps fitted ready for rails and uprights
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Hand rails and dowls all fitted moving on nicely.
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Wall to build at the bottom so trees will be set inside later.
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retaining wall built ready for plants in the future.
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Still loads to do got to do paving yet turf etc phew whay have i took on.
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All measured up now to start the layout.
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Rain stops play
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Moving along now got weather with me fingers crossed.
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going nicely
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Phase one in place should be plain sailing now.
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Phase two but starting to get dark .
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Managed to get one corner set.
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Starting to look the part now am fairly pleased..
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Rain as got me again so off inside to fit some wall tiles
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Next day moving along again and doing well
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Square complete just the seating area to build by the shed to block it in.
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Built the seating but still loads to do.
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Taking shape but rains as me yet again back inside to do some work in there.
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Forward a few days now weather ok ready for turf
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keeping the dog happy while i have a cuppa
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Turf done and dusted.
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nice and relaxing at night worth it in the end always nice to have a bit of grass but not to much
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If you saw it now the dog as ruined it you think back and say to your self why do we do it, the answer is for comfort and to keep the ladys happy

One of your lights has fell over there

That is a smashing job, looks really nice! I love it when people take pictures of their progress, you can see the hard work poured into it, all the prep work, and finished product! I always forget to take pictures as I'm so eager to finish

Hi Monk.
Blame it on the dog i always do best thing about it too he cant answer back for him self yes i am a camera freak i take photo's of nealy everything even my dreams if i could

It was all looking very good until you laid that green stuff.

Gardening is relatively easy and fun. Landscaping is just hard graft. Your hard graft has paid off well, very smart and just in time for those warm summer evenings outdoors.