By By Thomas Tingle
Record Managing Editor
I need help in my backyard.
After cutting my backyard the other day, I stood in the middle of the yard and looked around and wondered what in the world am I going to do with this vast spread of dirt, rocks and green growth.
I call it green growth because I didn't plant any of it and during the past year, it's become a miss-match of this that and the other. After cutting it, the yard looks okay and groomed. My front yard and side yards are already established and doing fine – I get lots of compliments from the neighbors.
However, I should have opted to have sod put down in the backyard when the grass was being laid.
Well, I didn't, so, a year and a half later, I've got green growth and I've been uncovering left over building materials until I'm blue in the face.
I've really made the yard sound like a disaster zone – because it is in my opinion. I need some help.
Our son Austin does not walk around back there. We've put his swing set at the end of our driveway on a huge area of nice green grass that was planted when the house was built. The grass isn't dead or gone under the swings themselves, so we're still in good shape.
Nearly all of my neighbors in our subdivision are in the same boat as I'm in.
Some have fenced the backyard in for the sake of not having to look at it. Others have attempted to get the ground scraped and cleared from any leftover building debris, plant grass seed and put hay down.
Some backyards in our neighborhood look wonderful, but a majority of my neighbors cut green growth like I do and they keep the children in the front yard.
What am I going to do?
My budget is extremely limited and everywhere I've called charges outrageous prices just to bring a rake in to get rid of the rocks.
I'd like for someone to come and use my backyard as an example of what you can be done in an otherwise "hopeless" situation. There has to be a business here in town that would love to take the opportunity to show off their lawn skills. Since we've got so many new homes under construction in our area, it would be a great way to advertise. I sound desperate don't I?
If this doesn't sound like I'm begging for help, I don't know what does. Ha!
You see these television shows that have taken disastrous yards and have turned them into a gardener's dream. I don't need anything elaborate at all like that. A nice carpet of green grass across the entire backyard is I want and I'll do the rest. I'll take pictures and put them in the model home of our neighborhood to show perspective homebuyers.
Is there anyone out there up for the challenge of showing off his skills in the yard?
Give me a call, I'll tell you where I live and point you in the right direction.
Hey, I'll give you plenty of cold iced tea to drink and food to eat and I'll roll up my sleeves and put on my work gloves and help myself.