Brigid--if your st. augustine is healthy--it will take more than one dose of round-up down here.
Croclover--nice pic--what is the vine to the far right on the white trellis first shot? A solanum or a small evergreen wisteria?
Debbie
This message was edited Jul 13, 2006 9:20 AM
Cottage Gardens
Oh and Sticks n Stones, thanks for the compliment too- and if you have any advice on which kinds of perrenials would fit in, please give me some suggestions. And yes Fly Girl, I agree that you need a Gnome.
Roundup will be a last resort, and thanks to all that responded. It may come to that, though. Right now I have newspaper covered with grass clippings (thanks to my neighbor the yard nazi) and the SA is growing through it! It will be easier to pull up this way, though. But as I get cardboard, I'm putting it down. I have it along the fence and it seems to be doing a grand job.
You just always have that feeling something's down there... lurking... ready to rear up and be lawn...
croc...i am learning just like you....so i wish i could suggest...but have nothing to offer....maybe one of these years....:)
Thought you might like to know about my experience since we just had new beds done. We moved in three years ago and reworked the back yard last year, front beds a couple of months ago. The back yard was 2 main areas around the pool. One end was several crepe myrtles underplanted with ground cover asian jasmine. The other area was grass and weeds and elephant ears. We wanted everything out and no grass so we didn't have to mow around the pool. We pulled out the jasmine and had the crepes removed since they shed flowers/leaves/seed/something into the pool all the time. We covered the grass, weeds and remaining jasmine bits with several layers of newspaper. We then covered that with a heavy layer of fall leaves and a few handfuls of fertilizer. We then had someone bring in some fairly decent soil and dump over the leaves. We wet it down and waited a couple of months and planted. So far, none of the weeds, St. Augustine or Bermuda grass has come back, but the elephant ears continue to be a problem. I think if you planted them and wisteria together, it could be the makings of a science fiction movie! I just couldn't see trying to dig all that grass and weeds out. Way more work that I was up for and we've not had a problem with it. Good luck with yours.
Thanks for the input, crow. I talked with a friend who swears by her mantis tiller; think I'll layer like you did, then till after about six weeks, then till again. I'll have some great compost to till in before I plant.
Our wait is over. Terry announced we have our own Cottage Garden Forum now. :-)
http://davesgarden.com/forums/f/cottage/all/
YAHOOOOOOOOOOO
whooooohoooooo!!!!!
Love your garden, Ms Fly. It's beautiful.