2016-08

What to do With an Untidy Corner
What do you do
with a very untidy
corner of your back
garden? The other
corner has a shed
in it. It may be full of junk but,
outwardly, with the door shut, it
looks okay. However, its partner
across the other side is a mess.
Old flower pots; broken children’s
toys; assorted rocks; ladders. You
name it, it’s there.
We thought we would have
a summer house but they are
expensive and we wouldn’t have
used it anyway, there being very
little sun in S8 let alone in that
dark spot. While we decide, I
am happy to allow some weedy
foliage to hide the problem.
To make more room, I have
decided that our old conifer is too
tall and straggly and will have to
go. I have started that process by
cutting off all the lower branches
and burning them in my new
toy, a garden incinerator. I can
recommend these highly. If you
have had a stressful day, cut a
few branches and have a burn-off.
Feel all your troubles vanish as
you stoke and burn.
When that tree has gone, and
there is nothing left to burn, the
question remains – how to fill that
corner. The latest idea is to
have a covered double seat,
with floral arrangements
around it. Perhaps a bit of
decking and a raised bed.
Once the conifer has gone,
the apple tree will spread
and prosper.
Some people have
gardens that are too neat
and regimented. Perhaps
a garden reflects its owner.
I like disorder, with wild
flowers and piles of old wood
which attract insects. However,
some folk go the other way, with
sofas and old tyres littering the
place. Colour is essential so you
must tend to your borders, keep
the grass cut and prepare some
hanging baskets.
Children are key to how a
garden looks. If you have kids it
is a waste of time trying to keep
your garden neat and a waste of
money buying too many plants.
Keep everything in the borders
and yell frequently at them to keep
off, or else! When the children
grow up and leave (if ever) then
you can devote some time and
expense on making the garden
look colourful and interesting.
One last tip. If you have a small
patch of grass, either at front
or back of your house, get rid
of it and convert the space with
pebbles. They don’t cost much
and once you have put them down
they are low-maintenance. They
look good and you can move pots
on and off as you like.
Happy gardening.
Son of the Soil
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: 9 Linden Avenue, Sheffield S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 22
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org