My mudpatch into a lawn.

[Madame Mucksprout]

this is my problem too - not helped by the fact that there is one real "path" through the grass. I suspect turf will be the way to go, as it will need some time to bed in, but not as long as seed.

Is it big enough to do half-and-half? turf (and fence off) one half and then do the other when that has settled down?

(incidentally, on the M4, there is a turf farm - it's very odd to see what looks like a massive lawn in the middle of farmland...)

Yeah, I bed a turf farm would look a bit wierd, infact it is a bit of an odd thing to farm come to think of it lol. Im glad though............ yes. Half and half sounds a good idea. Would it grow all together eventually do you think? ie the seeded half will catch up with the turfed half? or will there forever ne a demarcation ?

[Madame Mucksprout]

hmmm, have you considered sandbags, machine guns and barbed wire...?

Be careful with that hole - that netting may not catch you, and certainly won't give you any visual reminder that you are near the hole...

I'd put as much of the clay as you can into the hole around the watertank (subject to whatever the manufacturer says), any topsoil can then go on top... I suspect you'll also need to roll/compact the newly-filled areas before you do your final top layers to avoid it sinking as it slowly compacts.

It'll be a while before that's fully done. As an interim, could you get some membrane and bark chips to make an area for the little one to play on?

I have a cat. Bark chippings = cat tray......... phewy!!!!!

[Madame Mucksprout]

Are you still thinking of water storage in the hole?
How about a Walipini? http://opensourceecology.org/w/images/1/1c/Walipini.pdf

I am :-) The big Butt is here!

[rary]

I am :-) The big Butt is here!

I hope you are not referring to VC
If you get a lot of rain in your area I would fill the trench with stones so that it acts as a drain, if not fill it in by raking the clay into it then level and turf

[rary]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]79558[/ATTACH]

Claypatch mountains and trenches

I have seen worse after a Saturday rummage in the back garden
If you don't have enough soil to fill in do away with your retaining wall and draw it back till its a gentle slope

ps glad I checked gentle didn't come out as that with spell check/predictive text

[veggiechicken]

I hope you are not referring to VC

You're so cheeky, rary - just like your Big Butt.
Don't forget you're in the presence of a lady, Madame Mucksprout.

[Madame Mucksprout]

You're so cheeky, rary - just like your Big Butt.
Don't forget you're in the presence of a lady, Madame Mucksprout.

hahaha - Im rather proud of my big Butt! If you have one too VC then be loud and proud! Big Butts rule...... lets not even start regarding the big butt hole in my lawn.