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  • Author Author: dubbie
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I've Been Gardening

dubbie

I logged in properly to Element14 today, for the first time for quite a while, to find 42 notifications waiting for me. Additionally, I didn't manage to finish my entry for the latest Project14 Competition for previously unfinished projects (it was going to be a worm robot) so I'll probably try finishing that later (maybe). I've been away on holiday overseas! Twice! and the garden has been flourishing and needing more attention, plus I have been sitting out in the garden watching the flowers grow (mostly cosmos), drinking the odd glass of wine and possibly a few little sleeps. Life has been good.

 

Still, the days are shorter now, it's getting colder, the garden doesn't need my attention so much, so I am hoping to get some robot building done. I have been given one of these children's battery powered tricycles which I plan to turn into an autonomous outdoor robot. It was broken but I worked out it was the battery (£18 for a new battery! - the whole tricycle only costs £55) and a switch problem - at the moment it only goes backwards.

 

Time for some autumn fun.

 

Dubbie

Parents

  • Glad to hear that you have been enjoying your garden.  We  have been busy lately preparing our fall/winter garden and getting ready to convert more of our lawn into new natural beds.

  • in reply to genebren

    Dubbie,

     

    Here is a before and after picture of our recent conversion of lawn to nature space project.  Our local water company is encouraging homeowners to convert their lawns to low water usage space in an effort to reduce future water shortages.  By signing up to convert 200 square feet of lawn, the company gives you coupons to purchase water saver plants (plus points for other freebies or discounts).  This is our third project under this program, and we have plans for further projects.

     

    imageimage

    The project replaced a timber wall that was deteriorating in place.  The before picture was in the heat of summer, near the completion of our deck replacement project, when we usually cut back deeply on watering (sometimes not at all).  The after picture was taken yesterday after we loaded two cubic yards of mulch into the space. The new garden has several plants (store bought and other cuttings), that will take a while to mature and prosper.  On the whole, we are very happy with the new space.

     

    Our next project plan includes the space where I am standing taking these pictures, where we plan to add more garden spaces as well as a water feature and maybe some park-like benches to enjoy the new spaces.

  • in reply to genebren

    Looks great.

     

    It appears to be the year for doing stuff with lawns. I spent summer redoing my back lawn. It got badly scorched during a hot spell a couple of years ago and it never fully recovered so decided it was time to start over during the lock-downs/work-from-home. It was an opportunity to dig out all the builders rubble that had buried 50+ years ago when originally developing the site, which means in future I can now safely use a lightweight electric garden tiller to turn it over without it kicking back all the time.

    image

    The oleaster hedge at the top right was a recent addition two years ago, and replaces an old garden wall which was broken up and can be seen to the lower left which will form a base for a new shed. The neighbours cats don't like walking on it though and hence the damage to the lawn alongside it - they trampled the new grass seedlings to death using it as a highway between the gardens. image

    With such a small space, it has been something of a 'Tower of Hanoi' project... In theory, with proper planning, it should have only taken 7 moves, not the 70+ it actually took... image

     

    I just need Dubbie Dubbie to come up with a robot lawnmower design so that I to can sit in the deckchair drinking the odd glass of wine... image

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  • in reply to genebren

    Looks great.

     

    It appears to be the year for doing stuff with lawns. I spent summer redoing my back lawn. It got badly scorched during a hot spell a couple of years ago and it never fully recovered so decided it was time to start over during the lock-downs/work-from-home. It was an opportunity to dig out all the builders rubble that had buried 50+ years ago when originally developing the site, which means in future I can now safely use a lightweight electric garden tiller to turn it over without it kicking back all the time.

    image

    The oleaster hedge at the top right was a recent addition two years ago, and replaces an old garden wall which was broken up and can be seen to the lower left which will form a base for a new shed. The neighbours cats don't like walking on it though and hence the damage to the lawn alongside it - they trampled the new grass seedlings to death using it as a highway between the gardens. image

    With such a small space, it has been something of a 'Tower of Hanoi' project... In theory, with proper planning, it should have only taken 7 moves, not the 70+ it actually took... image

     

    I just need Dubbie Dubbie to come up with a robot lawnmower design so that I to can sit in the deckchair drinking the odd glass of wine... image

Children