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Grass Seeding When Turf Isn't Right

Sometimes grass seeding makes more sense than turfing. If you've got a massive area to cover, or if you're on a tight budget, or if you're trying to match existing grass, seeding can work better. Takes longer to establish - you're looking at three to four months before you can really use it - but it's cheaper and you can get some really good seed mixes now.

We did a big seeding job last spring for a new build estate near Rodborough. The builders had left the gardens absolutely wrecked - compacted soil, rubble everywhere, no topsoil at all. We brought in loads of good topsoil, got the ground level, and seeded it with a hard-wearing mix that could handle kids and dogs. By summer, those lawns looked better than half the established ones in the area.

The key with seeding is timing. Spring or early autumn work best round here. Summer's too dry even when you water, and winter's too cold for the seed to germinate properly. We also use a lot more seed than the packet says - birds and weather take their toll, so we compensate.

Landscape Design That Works For Real Life

People ring us up wanting a nice garden, but they're not always sure what that means for their actual space. We do landscape design that's practical for how you'll really use your garden. If you've got kids, there's no point putting delicate plants everywhere. If you hate maintainence, we're not filling your borders with stuff that needs constant pruning.

We start by looking at what you've got - the slope, the soil, where the sun hits, where water runs when it rains. Our gardens get alot of shade because of all the trees and hills, so we're used to working with that. Then we talk about what you actually want to do out their - sit and have a cuppa, let the dog run about, grow some veg, not look at it because you're never home?

The design part isn't fancy drawings that cost hundreds of quid. It's sketches and photos with notes, and walking round your garden working out what goes where. We're not trying to win awards, we're trying to make your outside space work for you.

Artificial Lawn Installation (When Real Grass Won't Work)

Not everyone likes the idea of artificial lawn installation, but sometimes it's the right answer. We've put it down in courtyards that get no sun at all, on roof terraces, in play areas that were just mud baths every winter. Modern artificial grass looks alot better than it used to - you have to get up close to tell it's fake.

The ground prep for artificial grass is different but just as important. We excavate down, put in a crushed stone base, add a layer of sharp sand, and compact it all properly. The drainage has to be spot on because the grass itself doesn't soak up water. Then the artificial turf gets laid, joins glued or taped, edges secured, and brushed up with sand to make the fibers stand up.

We did a small back garden in Stonehouse last year that was surrounded by walls and got about two hours of sun a day. Real grass just wouldn't grow - they'd tried three times. Put down artificial turf and suddenly they had a useable garden all year round. The kids can play on it, the dog can't dig it up, and it still looks green in February.

Fencing Installation For Privacy and Security

Fencing installation usually goes hand in hand with garden work round here. You're doing a new lawn, you might as well sort out that wonky fence panel at the same time. We do close board fencing, panel fencing, post and rail - whatever fits your garden and budget.

The storms we get in the valleys play havoc with fences. We've lost count of how many calls we get after a big blow, with panels down and posts snapped. When we put fences up, we're sinking those posts deep - at least two feet, more if it's exposed. Concrete them in properly, use treated timber, and fit them so the fence can flex a bit in the wind rather than just snap.

Boundry disputes are common as muck round here. Before we touch any fence, we make sure everyone knows where the boundry actually is. We've learned that lesson the hard way. Nothing worse than putting up a beautiful new fence and then finding out it's six inches into next doors garden.

Garden Work and General Maintainence

The garden work we do covers everything from regular grass cutting to full garden clearances. We've cleared gardens that hadn't been touched in years - brambles taller than me, ivy strangling trees, sheds buried under vegetation. Takes days sometimes, but you end up with a blank canvas to start again.

Regular maintainence keeps gardens from getting to that state. We've got customers we visit every fortnight through summer just to keep on top of the mowing and weeding. Hedges get trimmed, borders get tidied, grass gets cut. Nothing fancy, just keeping it all looking decent.

Some people want the full works - lawn treatments, scarifying, aerating, the lot. Others just want someone to cut the grass while they're at work. We do both. We're not snobby about it. Garden work is garden work, whether it's a mansion in Minchinhampton or a terrace in Chalford.

Weed Control That Actually Works

Weed control in lawns is an ongoing battle round here. The damp climate means moss everywhere, and once you've got moss you've got problems. It crowds out the grass, makes the lawn spongy, and looks rubbish. We treat it with moss killer, then scarify it out once its dead. That leaves gaps, so we overseed to fill them back in.

Broadleaf weeds like dandelions and daisies need different treatment. We use selective herbicides that kill the weeds but leave the grass alone. Timing matters - you want to treat them when they're actively growing, not when they're dormant. Usually takes two or three treatments over a season to get on top of a really weedy lawn.

People worry about chemicals, which is fair enough. We use approved products and follow the rules about when and how to apply them. If you'd rather go organic, we can do that too - it just takes longer and needs more manual work. Either way, we're honest about what'll work and what won't.

Digging and Ground Preparation

The digging and ground prep is where we spend most of our time. You can't build a good garden on poor foundations. We've got mini diggers for bigger jobs, but alot of it is still done with spades and mattocks because you need to feel whats under the soil.

Stroud gardens are often on slopes, which makes things interesting. We've built retaining walls, cut terraces into hillsides, and figured out drainage solutions for gardens that basically turned into streams when it rained. Heavy clay soil is common, and it needs breaking up and improving before anything will grow in it properly.

Tree roots cause problems too. We can work round them, but sometimes roots have to be cut back before you can dig properly. We know which trees are protected round here and sort the permissions if needed. Last thing you want is the council coming after you because you touched a tree you shouldn't have.

Levelling for Perfect Lawns and Patios

Levelling is one of those jobs that looks simple but isn't. Your eye can't tell if something's level - you need tools for that. We use string lines, spirit levels, and laser levels depending on the size of the job. For lawns, you want it flat but with a slight slope for drainage. For patios, you need a consistent fall away from the house.

We levelled a garden in Bisley last month that had a two-foot drop across it. Previous owner had just mowed it at an angle for years. We cut and filled, moved soil from the high side to the low side, and ended up with a proper level lawn. Makes a massive difference to how useable the space is.

Sunken areas and bumps in existing lawns can be sorted without relaying everything. We lift the turf, adjust the soil underneath, then put it back. Works well for small problems. If the whole lawns a mess though, you're better off starting again.

Why Stroud Gardens Need Special Attention

Working round Stroud means dealing with hills, heavy clay, lots of rain, and old gardens that haven't been touched properly in decades. We know the soil here, we know what grows well and what struggles, and we know that when the weather forecast says rain, it means proper rain not a light shower.

Local knowledge counts. We know which areas flood, which ones are frost pockets, and which ones get baked dry every summer despite the rain. We know the planning rules for the different parishes and which ones are strict about what you can do to boundry treatments in conservation areas.

We're based here, we live here, and we're not dissapearing off somewhere else after we've done your garden. If something goes wrong with work we've done, you know where we are. That matters round here. People remember who does good work and who makes promises they don't keep.

Getting Your New Lawn Right First Time

If you're thinking about new turfing in Stroud, here's the straight answer - it'll cost more and take longer than you think, but if it's done right you'll have a lawn that lasts for years. Cut corners on the prep work and you'll be redoing it in two years time.

We give free quotes, which means coming out to look at your garden properly, not just guessing over the phone. Every garden's different. We'll tell you what needs doing, how long it'll take, and what it'll cost. No pressure, no nonsense.

Ring us or drop us a message. We cover Stroud, Nailsworth, Chalford, Painswick, Stonehouse, and all the villages round about. We're usually booked up a few weeks ahead in spring and summer, but we'll fit you in as soon as we can.

Your garden's been looking rough long enough. Let's sort it out properly.