getting lawn ready for a wedding and panicking!

Hi I would appreciate some help. My lawn this year has been pretty bad from the middle to the back fence - the shadier part of the garden. The drainage isn't brilliant although I add lawn dressing every year, scarify and all that, and re-seed, but this winter it is dreadfully bare in some places and very mossy in others - combination of wear and tear, hot dry summer followed by wet and damp. So I was oddly rather looking forward to a massive and satisfying lawn renovation scheme in the spring, but my daughter has now asked if we can have a wedding party in the garden in May 2025. I worry I wont be able to get the new grass established in time. We are in South London. How early does anyone think I could start the re-seeding etc (I normally find it takes months to properly establish a lawn for the summer and I often start too soon). Or am I going to have to lay turf. If so, what is the earliest I could ask someone to lay for me. Very much appreciate your advice. All the best and Happy New Year

 

I am up north so can't really say for when best time for seeding but here the earliest I'd entertain seeding is March into April.

It sound more like you have a drainage problem, are you on clay as well? If you do I'd be looking into that maybe even turn the whole area over add grit / sharp sand compost / other organic matter .

I don't think its worth going down seeding within that time frame , turfing can be done anytime of the weather except when the ground is froze but not ideal either if water logged, if you get it turfed in March early April its will look well by May and knitted together.

 

Good advice, thank you I'll look into the turf.

 

I'd agree with @shiney - better to just leave the grass a bit longer through spring, especially if it's likely to be drier in late April/early May where you are. Any new turf you put in would just be trampled anyway, so it's not really worth the money you'd spend on it. Certainly no point in seeding as, even with good conditions, it would only just be growing well by that time and would then be destroyed. Newly seeded lawns need quite a bit of time before they can withstand the wear and tear of lots of footfall. A smaller area, in particular, would be trashed more readily than a larger area.

The alternative would be to lift the top layer and put gravel down. That could then be dug in [or just left in situ] if you then wanted to either replace the turf, or add some soil and re seed.

 

Bonzer ideas from both of you, thank you. I like both - you're right that the garden looks green from a distance, just patchy as anything when up close but really who cares apart from me and my pride! But for a separate bad area at the back the gravel idea is genius! Thank you everyone.

 

A rented marquee would cover the worst area and protect your guests from any unreliable weather! You could then decide what to do with your lawn without any deadline .

 

I'd try weed and feed around early late march/April time and hope for the best, as others have said any new turf is unlikely to want trampling on.

I'd even consider covering an area with fake grass if you have to, just for the photos.

 

I think it also comes down to budget, and what you want to achieve beyond May. A marquee will certainly help with some protection of the ground beforehand as well as on the day, especially if you can put it up early enough. You'll know best what the weather's likely to be in the week or so before the day itself.

I hope it all goes well for you - it was a bit unfair expecting you to host with so little notice though!

 

I agree with others that you are far more concerned about the lawn than those attending the wedding will be. One possible option would be to get the cheapest artificial turf you can find and lay it over the area of lawn where the photographs will be taken. Put it down the day before and remove it the day after. I really don't think even that will be necessary unless we have a very bad Spring. A professional photographer, if they are having one, would be able to make the grass look better in post-processing.