Nope.
Previously
I wrote rather smugly about power washing brick paving in my last blog here. I was no longer going to use the power washer on the paving in the back garden. When it’s washed it looks lovely, like this
Isn’t it lovely
When it’s left to the sun and rain to do the job, it looks like this
Paving as Nature intended
Time for action
It hadn’t been power washed for 18 months. I’d grown to accept the “natural” look. Aka “the lazy look.”
I didn’t want to disturb the little creatures that love the mud and moss. (Brownie points). I didn’t want to lose the cute self-seeded daisies and poppies that came up in the gaps. (I’m so eco friendly). I didn’t want to annoy the neighbours with the awful noise it makes. (I’m such a nice person) It’s SUCH a waste of water. (Must be responsible) blah blah
I was learning to live with the slightly black slightly slimy bricks but after the rain came recently the paving turned into a death defying ice rink. The grass which had self-seeded in the gaps between the bricks had grown and was now very slippery as well as Nature doing her thing.
Black and very slimy
Monty Don on Gardeners World also had slimy slippery brick paths which he dealt with by brushing really hard with sharp sand. He said it was very hard work but I was inspired. gardenersworld.com
Act before you think
So yesterday, without any sharp sand but with a spring in my step, I began scrubbing, sweeping, brushing, washing, and had transformed a patch the size of a tea towel by lunchtime. There was a lot of sweating, three pairs of shoes soaked, swearing, and splashing.
At 2pm I finally cracked.
I got the Karcher out. That fiendish instrument of the Devil.
Can you spot it at the end of the garden?
I wished I’d used it from the start.
I blasted those little creepy crawlies to oblivion. I smashed those daisies out of their foothold. I was ruthless. If the neighbours were shouting “hypocrite!” I didn’t hear it because of the noise I was making.
But even with the targeted blaster, the grasses in the cracks wouldn’t budge so after I’d soaked them I had to bend down like a medieval peasant and pull out every grass seedling by hand.
I didn’t manage them all. Some wouldn’t budge, even being winkled with a knife.
Grass hanging on in there in the cracks
And with gaps like this between the bricks I’ll never be free of slippery weeds.
Gaps where the mortar used to be
Originally there was mortar between the bricks but it must have got blasted out by ……. I think I’ll just stop there.
Moral of this tale
– when you feel like being a clever clogs “Miss-can’t-tell-her-anything” snooty smug pants – just keep it zipped.
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Happy Gardening and best wishes, Julie
