Sad. I've always had a great dread of November. It seems to me the most frightening month of the year. One ray of November hope since I moved to France has been the realisation that St Catherine's feast day is the 25th and anything woody planted then will (it is promised) be bound to root well. (Pity I've never 'taken root', since that seems to be the responsibility of my patron saint!)
Still, the grass/weed regrowth has not been too bad down below, and I have managed to include two or three hours of strimming over the last week. This year grass maintenance has been a struggle in the lower garden. The petrol mower that I bought to keep everything cut back after strimming definitely didn't enjoy being out under its neat little tarpaulin all winter and we're thinking it's a write-off.
I'm wondering about replacing it with a good quality Flymo - electric, because the petrol versions are heavier and I'm worried about carrying it down the steps from the shed whenever I mow. Still, we've got through yet another season of gradually beating back the bush and it can only get better. (Can't it?) The hours I've spent researching the best way to manage rough grass and slopes would make your eyes glaze over ... they certainly have mine. Any suggestions for a favourite mower that might manage our conditions?
If I was younger, I'd be tempted to take it more slowly, but I'd like to enjoy and make things from my willows for a few years anyway.
I think the only (temporary) solution is probably landscaping fabric and slow weed removal before planting good ground cover species.
Any bright ideas, dear reader?