Lawn Mowing
Lawnmower Man's assistant.
The Moosey Garden always looks better when the lawns are lush and green - they are so easy on the eyes. The problem with grass is that to keep it green it needs to be watered. Then when it's watered it grows. Funny, that... And, of course, this means regular, quality lawn mowing.
There's over half a hectare (1.25 acres) of lawn scattered throughout the garden (not including the grass verge alongside the road-side - another half acre). In the spring and early summer they need cutting twice a week. Non-Gardening Partner is the resident Lawnmower Man, and he is kept very busy.
The water race (a small stream of running water) naturally cuts the garden into two halves, so that everything does not need to be cut at once. But extra responsibilities come with this garden task. It's not just the lawns - it's what's on them!
Mowing the Birthday Rose Garden Path
Not only does NGP need to do a good quality mow, but also he needs to collect up abandoned dog tennis balls, shift (and replace) garden seats and my ornamental set of concrete cricketers, and keep a wary eye out for sharp garden tools hidden in the long grass. Oops. Every now and then there's a dreadful clanging sound of metal on metal. I shudder, in case one of the shear pins is broken. Oops again.
Mow Those Lawns!
Enjoy the garden!
He has a ride-on mower for the flat lawns, plus a flail mower attached to the tractor which deals to the Frisbee Lawn. Thus the mowing is a not too strenuous activity and can be quite enjoyable. The Lawnmower Man gets to look at and enjoy all parts of the garden.
For areas where lawnmower cannot reach (alongside the water race) NGP has a brush cutter. This could best be described an 'industrial' weed-eater, although using it involves considerably more effort than using the ride-on. As a consequence it doesn't come out of the shed much.
Water Means Work
Later in the summer when things have dried off considerably, the person in charge of irrigation (AKA Non-Gardening partner) tries to balance regular requests for garden irrigation ('The garden is so desperately dry!'). There is a modicum of self interest here too, since if the amount of irrigation can be rationed to a level where the grass stays green but doesn't grow too much, the Head Gardener is more or less satisfied. Phew! NGP can relax and enjoy his long weekend reads of the newspaper.
Mowing the Lawns
From the Head Gardener's point of view, you can never water too much. The Lawnmower Man would beg to differ!