Personal Firsts

[vinteuil]

The worst problem at some times of year is the wretched mare's tail which manages to poke its way out from underneath the gravel. This is a very resiliant weed which we've been trying unsuccessfully to eradicate for years.

... by mare's tail do you mean Equisetum? I love it - a "living fossil".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equisetum

But perhaps it's another weed - such as Conyza canadensis?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conyza_canadensis

[umslopogaas]

Well, a weed is a plant in the wrong place, as they say. There are ornamentai Equisetums, but the common one, Equisetum arvense, is not particularly pretty, and is very invasive. But as suggested, it can be eliminated with glyphosate, even if it is mixed with plants that you need to preserve, you just have to apply it carefully to the weed, with a paintbrush or a wet rag, and avoiding any contact with the other plants.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I've added two more pictures to post 20, to show what the canoe looks like now.

[HighlandDougie]

That looks seriously impressive - maiden voyage?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

That looks seriously impressive

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

A very uplifting post.

Thank you.

You must feel a real sense of achievement.

Once I've put the Germolene on the thorn scratches, rubbed Ibuleve into my aching back, and the pins and needles have left my leg - yes.

Dave and Anastasius are right to urge caution about drainage on large paved areas - my own pathway is just a thin strip (only one person "across") between the box hedgings - if I were to substitute paving bricks, I'd keep them from touching with sharp sand, which would enable drainage. I'm wondering about covering the gravel with chicken wire, so that leaves can be racked/swept up without gathering the gravel with them.

I like the way the new "hobby" is posing new problems & challenges, and making me imagine new solutions: it's a real "lift" to my creativity.

[french frank]

I went up to the House of Lords on Tuesday. Their Lordships were discussing the eradication of Japanese knotweed. Seriously impressive. Saw lots of things but most of all I enjoyed lunch

(Told brother I was going up to the House of Lords. He said: Congratulations, you really deserve it )

[vinteuil]

That looks seriously impressive - maiden voyage?

... mark my words, the next we hear, he'll be in Panama ...

[Serial_Apologist]

I'm wondering about covering the gravel with chicken wire, so that leaves can be racked/swept up without gathering the gravel with them.

And have your female friends catch their high heels in it? I get the idea of keeping any pavers separate from their sand underlay, though I'm not sure how this could be done without some sort of lattice of brickwork support.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I do not have any friends who would wear high heels in a garden, S_A - in fact, I think that my eldest sister is the only person I know who ever wears high heels.

I'm idly pondering using paving bricks (rather than blocks) with a sand underlay and spaced out (about an eighth of an inch apart) with sand between them to secure them in position. There again, I might just leave it as it is!

[Dave2002]

... by mare's tail do you mean Equisetum? I love it - a "living fossil".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equisetum

But perhaps it's another weed - such as Conyza canadensis?

I think Hippuris - see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippuris - is more like it.

[Lat-Literal]

Thank you.


Once I've put the Germolene on the thorn scratches, rubbed Ibuleve into my aching back, and the pins and needles have left my leg - yes.

Dave and Anastasius are right to urge caution about drainage on large paved areas - my own pathway is just a thin strip (only one person "across") between the box hedgings - if I were to substitute paving bricks, I'd keep them from touching with sharp sand, which would enable drainage. I'm wondering about covering the gravel with chicken wire, so that leaves can be racked/swept up without gathering the gravel with them.

I like the way the new "hobby" is posing new problems & challenges, and making me imagine new solutions: it's a real "lift" to my creativity.

I went up to the House of Lords on Tuesday. Their Lordships were discussing the eradication of Japanese knotweed. Seriously impressive. Saw lots of things but most of all I enjoyed lunch

(Told brother I was going up to the House of Lords. He said: Congratulations, you really deserve it )

[eighthobstruction]

....enjoying fhg's take on his garden....it'll be "thinking of having a gazebo" next....I like the 'chicken wire' idea, shows real instinct and initiative....I wonder he has ever written that in one of his pupils reports....

[ahinton]

Dave and Anastasius are right to urge caution about drainage on large paved areas - my own pathway is just a thin strip (only one person "across") between the box hedgings - if I were to substitute paving bricks, I'd keep them from touching with sharp sand, which would enable drainage. I'm wondering about covering the gravel with chicken wire, so that leaves can be racked/swept up without gathering the gravel with them.

You could perhaps consider cementing it in; I've seen finishes like that on sloping driveways where it would otherwise move or be blown and it works quite well in providing a gravelled finish; it also obviates the leaves problem.

I can see you out there, working away with the not quite complete quartets of a certain composer from Coventry emanating from the headset - or maybe better still La terre est un homme...

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

....it'll be "thinking of having a gazebo" next....

No - I'm vegetarian.

I can see you out there, working away with the not quite complete quartets of a certain composer from Coventry emanating from the headset - or maybe better still La terre est un homme...

It's not Crazy Paving! I prefer to listen to birdsong and insect buzzes when outside - and, with some of my spade experiences, La Terre est une douleur dans le cou would be nearer the truth!