Aesthetic advice sought.

[Chad]

I rather like the romantic overgrown look, but I'm now hitting my head when I mow through here, and the grass isn't growing in the dense shade.

From the other end...


What is your opinion on cutting back to refind the path?

Chad

[flounder]

Do it, do it hard!
My gardening outlook is thai jungle meets steptoes yard....in my advancing years it's got to change. it's evolving into mildly neglected mediterranean style. Hence I'm now an advocate of having something solid to walk on, without the limbo dancing ;)

[AndyC]

For my taste I would keep it as you have it. If I had the space I would do the same, in fact, parts of my garden are heading in that direction anyway. Less grass to cut, more joy.

[Paul S]

Why not formalise the receding grass and do away with it in the middle. Round of the ends at both side then have a bark path/stepping stones through the middle? That way it looks like it was meant to be.

[charlie]

my inclination would be a bit of careful lopper work but go with Pauls suggestion of not bothering with grass in that area

[Andrew in Germany]

I would get rid of some of the lower branches and see where you land. 1 or 2 branches to start should give you a lovely tunnel effect without the accompanying ballet. I wouldn’t worry about the grass underneath, it will give an invitation to walk through.

[Chad]

Well, I chose to do nothing and nearly knocked myself out on the first mow of the year!

And snowdrops in there didn't flower this year, I assume from lack of light last year.

Here is the view as it was on Friday Morning. 



And here it is again an hour later.



The remaining obstruction to the view is lower branches on a Magnolia maudiae which will now be air layered and removed, hopefully rooted, in the autumn.

Now I need a little shade tolerant grass seed...

Chad

[charlie]

The area has certainly grown since I last saw it!

[Stan510]

Tie up those Schefflera looking branches out of your way and lop off any other branch that conks you in the head!