Shaded lawn suggestions

[Portsladepete]

My small layout is in my rear garden, this faces virtually north so only receives full sun for about 2-3 months of the year. The “lawn” has a variety of grasses and often weeds, before the layout was just mown to keep it reasonably tidy, other than that, it was ignored except by our dog and visiting cats if you know what I mean , I would like to use the lowest maintenance ground cover to replace the grass that could stand some foot traffic if possible, so that I could clean the track etc.
Is there such a wonder plant(s) available? I am in the UK in Cornwall, no idea regarding acidity etc as I have no idea about gardening. All I can say is that Cornwall is damp!

 

[The Shed]

SOLEIROLIA SOLEIROLII

Soleirolia soleirolii | mind-your-own-business Bedding/RHS Gardening

Find help & information on Soleirolia soleirolii mind-your-own-business Bedding from the RHS

www.rhs.org.uk

Mind Your Own Business

Forms a carpet of tiny green leaves just a few inches tall. A lovely ground cover plant and particularly pretty when used for edging paths.

www.victoriananursery.co.uk

This creeping perennial is also known as (amongst other names) mind-your-own-business. It’s a great lawn alternative, evergreen, with a rich green colour and needs little maintenance. It’s best for moist, shaded areas and can tolerate sun or shade, as in a grass substitute for a shaded area.

Please bear in mind, it is invasive and only suitable if tamed or confined to a defined space or area, where it can’t get out of hand.
It tolerates partial shade as well as full sun and can be sown directly from seed.

 

[Rhinochugger]

When I first read the headline, I wondered whether we were talking HB pencil or BB

 

[Portsladepete]

SOLEIROLIA SOLEIROLII

Soleirolia soleirolii | mind-your-own-business Bedding/RHS Gardening

Find help & information on Soleirolia soleirolii mind-your-own-business Bedding from the RHS

www.rhs.org.uk

Mind Your Own Business

Forms a carpet of tiny green leaves just a few inches tall. A lovely ground cover plant and particularly pretty when used for edging paths.

www.victoriananursery.co.uk

This creeping perennial is also known as (amongst other names) mind-your-own-business. It’s a great lawn alternative, evergreen, with a rich green colour and needs little maintenance. It’s best for moist, shaded areas and can tolerate sun or shade, as in a grass substitute for a shaded area.

Please bear in mind, it is invasive and only suitable if tamed or confined to a defined space or area, where it can’t get out of hand.
It tolerates partial shade as well as full sun and can be sown directly from seed.

Thanks for that, do I dig bits of grass up and put seeds in? What time of year? The plants in the links are available April/May.

 

[The Shed]

Depends largely on how big an area you are complementing.......

Start small maybe...select an area, remove the existing lawn, by cutting it out as small turfs, stack and cover, put to one side for later use, (once dry excellent source for soil condition around the other flower beds etc around the garden) lightly rake the exposed soil over, the addition of Sharp Sand lightly raked into the surface (cheaper than Horticultural Grit), cover with plastic sheet or scrim, will help to warm the soil up for either seed germination or planting out.

Preparation could be started now or at least during any dry spells of weather, to prepare the soil, overwintering by the elements will help improve the soil structure.

Covering the ground in sheets ready for, planting out or seed sowing is best undertaken in the early Spring.
Spring in Cornwall is usually at least a month earlier than up here in the waste lands of the North East!

 

[Rhinochugger]

Depends largely on how big an area you are complementing.......

Start small maybe...select an area, remove the existing lawn, by cutting it out as small turfs, stack and cover, put to one side for later use, (once dry excellent source for soil condition around the other flower beds etc around the garden) lightly rake the exposed soil over, the addition of Sharp Sand lightly raked into the surface (cheaper than Horticultural Grit), cover with plastic sheet or scrim, will help to warm the soil up for either seed germination or planting out.

Preparation could be started now or at least during any dry spells of weather, to prepare the soil, overwintering by the elements will help improve the soil structure.

Covering the ground in sheets ready for, planting out or seed sowing is best undertaken in the early Spring.
Spring in Cornwall is usually at least a month earlier than up here in the waste lands of the North East!

Yep you can usually successfully germinate grass seed throughout October - after that wait until April.

 

[Portsladepete]

Depends largely on how big an area you are complementing.......

Start small maybe...select an area, remove the existing lawn, by cutting it out as small turfs, stack and cover, put to one side for later use, (once dry excellent source for soil condition around the other flower beds etc around the garden) lightly rake the exposed soil over, the addition of Sharp Sand lightly raked into the surface (cheaper than Horticultural Grit), cover with plastic sheet or scrim, will help to warm the soil up for either seed germination or planting out.

Preparation could be started now or at least during any dry spells of weather, to prepare the soil, overwintering by the elements will help improve the soil structure.

Covering the ground in sheets ready for, planting out or seed sowing is best undertaken in the early Spring.
Spring in Cornwall is usually at least a month earlier than up here in the waste lands of the North East!

Thanks for your time and expertise!

 

[PhilP]

How large an area?

If it is shady, not very big, and presently an under-utilised area.. Would it be worth considering 'plastic grass'? - An almost all-weather surface, easy to maintain, and could perhaps provide somewhere (shaded by the tree) to put a small table and chairs?

PhilP.

 

[Portsladepete]

How large an area?

If it is shady, not very big, and presently an under-utilised area.. Would it be worth considering 'plastic grass'? - An almost all-weather surface, easy to maintain, and could perhaps provide somewhere (shaded by the tree) to put a small table and chairs?

PhilP.

Thought about it Phil, but am quite interested in making something more like a garden with a railway, rather than the opposite. With my gardening lack of skills, this could be a forlorn dream. I’ve planted three little dwarf trees, and am quite protective of them, this forgotten piece of the garden has definitely benefited from the railway.

 

[Rhinochugger]

Thought about it Phil, but am quite interested in making something more like a garden with a railway, rather than the opposite. With my gardening lack of skills, this could be a forlorn dream. I’ve planted three little dwarf trees, and am quite protective of them, this forgotten piece of the garden has definitely benefited from the railway.

I s'pose an alternative is a bit of semi-hard landscaping - stone or slate chippings

 

[dunnyrail]

My small layout is in my rear garden, this faces virtually north so only receives full sun for about 2-3 months of the year. The “lawn” has a variety of grasses and often weeds, before the layout was just mown to keep it reasonably tidy, other than that, it was ignored except by our dog and visiting cats if you know what I mean , I would like to use the lowest maintenance ground cover to replace the grass that could stand some foot traffic if possible, so that I could clean the track etc.
Is there such a wonder plant(s) available? I am in the UK in Cornwall, no idea regarding acidity etc as I have no idea about gardening. All I can say is that Cornwall is damp!

Not sure that Mind Your Own Business would work, but if you try it it is not seeded but takes from roots Thus a pot will go a long way if you split it in 4 and is happy to grow but do not expect full coverage in a season. Plant in Autumn likely to die back if you get frost but not so likely in Cornwall. Though a size of your area may assist. Another option would be Fake Grass, that will always be Green, dogs and cat stuff just washed away. Off cuts can be used all over the Railway and i side if you have that option as I have done.

 

[Paul M]

Trouble with fake grass is that it does no good to the creepy-crawleys that make gardens thrive, unable to burrow down or get out of the ground they often drown as the water doesn't soak away properly. (It also doesn't prevent the stronger weeds from growing). Although it does look good,it really isn't very ecologically healthy.

 

[Northsider]

I've got some chamomile growing beside the line: now it is established it grows pretty well. I believe it is suitable for limited footfall, and is beautifully scented when crushed. There's a book (and a film) called 'The Camomile Lawn'. And you can make tea from it.

 

[PhilP]

And you can make tea from it.

Not recommended after the attentions of Dog and Cats..

 

[Northsider]

Not recommended after the attentions of Dog and Cats..

Unless you likes the taste...