Quick fix - sound OK?

My brother in law is in a two bed council/housing association property and he has put in for a home swap as he really needs a minimum of three (three kids); anyway, a chain has now started where people are interested in swapping with each other, and that will hopefully see him move.

Now, Percy Thrower he ain't, and all things garden have pretty much been neglected. The back garden is a bridge too far at the moment, as there is just too much work needing done to it and neither the time or the money to do something with it - especially as the viewings begin today! A plea for help has come my way, and I am trying to work out a (very) quick fix for the front of the house which consists of a driveway with a wee patch of waste ground to one corner. The weeds are currently almost knee high in this patch.

Now, my thoughts are to go round there this weekend and strim the top off the weeds, apply some roundup, then lay some weed suppressing fabric followed by a few sacks of bark chippings and then place a couple of pots/planters on the bark area with a wee hanging basket next to the door (one of the pre-made ones that you get in garden centres)?

Does this sound sensible?

 

Sounds like a good plan FC. Maybe you don't need to bother with the roundup, the weed suppression fabric should do that job.

 

He's a good lad, and he works as many hours as he can to do his best for his family - gardening doesn't even feature on his radar (never has) and in fairness the garden was a mess when he moved in, so hasn't improved much. And yes, he is grateful - he and his missus help us out with babysitting during some of the school holidays which saves us a small fortune.

I'll strim the weeds as low as I can, then I'll dig out any really stubborn ones before laying the fabric (no idea where I would lay hands on a load of newspapers, as I never read them) and the bark. Pots/planters can follow unless we stumble upon something whilst buying the bark.

Suppose I had better dust off my driving licence - looks like I'll be hiring a lorry sometime soon.

Thanks all

 

I won't get near a supermarket before doing the job on Saturday morning - anyway, its not a massive area so the weed suppressing fabric shouldn't be all that expensive. Besides, think of the labour costs that he is saving......

Photo driving licence as well as works photo ID to back it up, so hiring the lorry will be the easy bit.

 

I'll need to have a look about Sheal - our recycling all goes into wheelie bins around here, which get collected every couple of weeks.

 

Its not quite grass - it has been a flower bed at some point, and as it sits below the kitchen window and to the side of the front door, it is very much part of the 'face' of the house - - if it were mine, I'd have flowering shrubs, honeysuckles and maybe a mallow or three in it; Its only a small area, maybe 6ft x 9ft, so shouldn't take too much work.

However, all he is aiming for is for it to be tidy for prospective viewers, and for it to be quick (yesterday would have been ideal!) - I'll shoot round on Saturday morning and see what I can do.