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May 24, 2006

Brownstoner Garden: Tuesday's Gone

garden
A little more sod, a few more fence panels and a little more on the retaining wall yesterday. Our dynamic duo, Jonathan and Ryan, spent a good part of the day on the neighbor's garden which they're doing concurrently.
Previously: Monday's Progress [Brownstoner]




Posted by Brownstoner at 10:18 AM | Comments (30)
Categories: Gardening

Comments

It seems like the work is being done in a haphazard way. I would wait until the hardscaping is finished before laying down the sod. By the way, grass seed works just as well and allows the plant to adapt to the soil better.

Posted by: xra at May 24, 2006 10:48 AM

grass seed is good if... you can keep the birds away.

Posted by: anon at May 24, 2006 10:56 AM

i think it's coming along beautifully. can't wait to see it all done.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 24, 2006 11:01 AM

What kind of weed killer are they using?

Posted by: anon at May 24, 2006 11:02 AM

I thought you were going to keep the space between the two yards open, it looks like a wood fence is going back up where the deep metal posts were. Is the love gone, or have you just opted for more privacy?

Posted by: Shahn Andersen at May 24, 2006 11:06 AM

No, we're doing a fence with a gate. Good fences make good neighbors kind of thing...

Posted by: Brownstoner at May 24, 2006 11:17 AM

What kind of mower will you use to maintain the lawn? My neighbor uses a gas power mower for a 12x 16 plot of grass. A bit of overkill in my book.

Posted by: Anon at May 24, 2006 11:18 AM

We were thinking of going the sod route - do you mind letting me know approximately how much you paid and if you pay by square foot, etc. Thanks

Posted by: Stacey at May 24, 2006 11:28 AM

Stacey & Anon 11:18: Shannon's Nursery has decent sod and you can pick up an 18" electric Black & Decker mower at Home Depot. Bstoner: your sod is turning brown already. Keep that sprinkler on! And make sure your contractor is buying moist sod and laying it the same day.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 24, 2006 11:42 AM

looks good. What is the reason for the elevation in the back? Is it a functional thing or an aesthetic choice?

Posted by: Anonymous at May 24, 2006 11:46 AM

just get a push mower. it's not a lot to mow

Posted by: Anonymous at May 24, 2006 11:53 AM

Get a weed wacker for under $30 from Sears.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 24, 2006 12:15 PM

Yeah, some of that sod is getting replaced. We had sprinkler probs the first day it was laid. The raised area at the back is largely a function of the fact that it was there to begin with and getting rid of all that dirt would have been a pain. We think it going to be nice having it though.

Posted by: Brownstoner at May 24, 2006 12:39 PM

Do not get a push mower. You'll have to rake all cut grass - big pain - or else it because a form of mulch and ruins your grass. I know; I tried it. Weed wackers make bad lawn mowers; I tried that too. The electric mower is the best suggestion in my opinion.

Posted by: cwarren at May 24, 2006 12:52 PM

Try Mill Lane Nursery on Ralph Ave for quality Long Island-grown sod. Seed is fine but doesn't always take (not just because the birds eat it; it also has a hard time getting established in shady gardens). We have a push mower for our enormous 8' x 13' lawn. I love using it (that deliciously old-fashioned whirring noise of the blades) and the raking takes less than 10 minutes so what's the big deal? If you are gardening in a brownstone backyard, you're really unlikely to "need" an electric mower.

Posted by: Anon at May 24, 2006 1:00 PM

I've used a push mower for years. My grass is great. Bagging grass to throw in a dump since crazy and I'm not composting in Brooklyn. Too many rats.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 24, 2006 1:53 PM

mmmmm, grass. This weekend, even though it's probably already too late, we are planting some seed in a 12 x 12 area. Trying out the 'no mow' grass variety. Sounds about my speed :)

Slow growing, and folds over nicely if you do want to just 'let it go'.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 24, 2006 6:05 PM

Not loving the raised bed in the rear or the overall hard geometry of the design. I realize it's a work in progress, but a more free-form plan would be much more pleasing than your static, mechanical layout. And ditto on the sod. Not only does it look parched, it looks as if it was laid by an amateur. Some seams are always evident when it's new, but I can pick out every one of them.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 24, 2006 7:23 PM

This job should be done by now...

Posted by: Anonymous at May 24, 2006 10:25 PM


Those of you with negative critisism obviously have little experience getting work like this done -- you probably even live in apartments and have never had your own yards.

No matter what, the yard Brownstoner having built will be a million times nicer than the weeds that were there previously.

Unlike a building renovation, the yard can easily be changed whenever Brownstoner feels like making changes.

I SMELL JEALOUSY.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 24, 2006 11:59 PM


I wouldn't mind smoking a doobie lying on that grass and starring up at the Brooklyn night sky. . .

Posted by: purple haze at May 25, 2006 12:02 AM

Agree with anon at 11:59pm,

I bet most of you don't have backyards or gardens, or you'd be a bt more sympathetic. Sounds like a bunch of armchair critics.

No matter what, it's better than what's there, and bstoner isn't spending much to get it done.

It's an organic process that will evolve over time as they figure out what works and doesn't work.

That's half the fun.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 25, 2006 10:05 AM

the job would be done by now, had it not rained all of last week. are you in Idaho or New York?
regarding our layout, that's just a matter of aesthetics, anon 7:23PM. You may like meandering cottage style. we like modern, clean layout, with a more oragnic flowing planting style. as they say, to each...

Posted by: Mrs. brownstoner at May 25, 2006 10:06 AM

this site is getting really unbearable as far as the armchair critics go. it's really too bad.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 25, 2006 12:36 PM

Bunch of old Ladie's gossips, that's what you all sound like.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 25, 2006 2:13 PM

I really like the layout for Mr and Mrs. B's garden, and I've always loved how platforms define areas without walls. If I ever have a garden though I would do the wild herbal/overgrown thingie. Like an old overgrown forest feel. Lazy but with an artistic spin so that when the relatives come over to critique I can put it down to my artistic personality and not the fact that I have been known to kill even the most hardy plant. :-)

I also love ivy as a ground cover but I've heard there are problems with that. Can anyone tell me what?

Posted by: Anonymous at May 25, 2006 4:53 PM

Brownstoner(Mr and Mrs), I think it looks great. Please continue to share.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 25, 2006 5:05 PM

Ivy is fine but kinda boring. It can be invasive although frankly it's so hard for any plant to get established in our very shady backyard that nothing's truly invasive! Other groundcovers to consider (sorry, these are all shade-loving coz that's all I know) include:
-- sweet woodruff (lovely bright green foliage with pretty white flowers and spreads easily; my fave)
-- epimedium (beautiful, delicate leaves)
-- vinca or periwinkle (easy to grow, pretty violet flowers; don't over-water; good for planting larger perennials in amongst it since it's not very tall)
-- pachysandra (kinda boring like ivy but it's also evergreen and indestructable)
-- euonymus or purple wintercreeper (lovely fall colors)
-- lily of the valley (fragrant white flowers)
-- ajuga or bugleweed (for a woodland look)
-- lamium maculatum (great silvery foliage and pink flowers; spreads fast!)

Hey, Mr and Mrs B -- Would you consider adding a "Gardening" button on the site to collect features/questions etc?

Posted by: Anon at May 25, 2006 5:14 PM

Thanks anon 5:14! Actually the garden is shady with 2 huge old locust trees so this is a great help..

I second the gardening button!!

Posted by: Anonymous at May 26, 2006 7:47 AM

Have to admire anyone who is doing the work themselves. I am doing a similar project with a raised bed in the back of the garden and sod in the forfront. we have a japanese maple in the back right and a big cherry tree toward the left part of the garden.
we used slate that we pulled up from the yard to build the wall in the back so that we have raised flower beds. It is visually appealing because its rounded around the trees and seems more organic. If we did not have the trees there though I would most likely goi sreaigt across the back. Not sure how much you like the sun but I would consider planting a tree. Wonderiing if you layed sand or some type of barrier under those tiles to keep weeds from growing in between the cracks. I have a new found respect for masons and stone workers, its brutal work

Posted by: michael at May 30, 2006 2:40 PM

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