Bullied, betrayed and married for a bet… the tragic life of the Queen’s aunt
Princess Mary grew up amid wealth and power, but wasn’t allowed to choose her own clothes, let alone a husband
didn’t want to be seen in public. Her husband had died; her son had been a prisoner of war at the notorious Colditz Castle, and the family were facing colossal death duties which required selling off thousands of acres of land.
Now she spent more time in her garden at Harewood in West Yorkshire.
Her shyness increased: “Mary was often seen to hide in the top woods when visitors arrived, and she planted large bushes in strategic positions to prevent [them] seeing her at work in her rose garden,” writes Basford.
And it was in that garden, at the age of 67, that she suffered a fatal heart attack, dying in the arms of her son George, now Earl of Harewood.
His recollection of Mary, as a mother, was plain and unemotional: “We did not talk of love and affection, or what we meant to each other, but of duty and behaviour and what we
ought to do.” Mary’s life, it might be argued, was one long missed opportunity – “She would be far more suited to the role of monarch than I,” said her brother David.
Her 25 years of marriage had produced two sons she could not hug, and the weight of being Princess Royal had proven so great that in 1944 she had offered to hand the title back.
It really is no fun, it would seem, being a royal princess.
As lawns get older, most develop problems that need addressing early in the year, as soon as conditions permit. Here are some common grassy ailments and how to fix them.
lUmpS, BUmpS ANd HOllOWS
Slight hollows: Spread half an inch of sifted compost or topsoil evenly over the sunken area and work it in with a stiff broom or rubber rake.
The top-dressing must be only a thin layer that sinks in without burying the grass.
Repeat every few months all year round until the area is level with the surrounding grass. deeper hollows: First remove the turf over the affected area, then fill the hollow with topsoil and replace the turf over the top. Tread well down afterwards, and adjust the soil level if necessary to leave the area flush with the surrounding lawn.
Bumps: Strip off the turf, then level the ground underneath with a spade.
Prick it evenly all over with a fork to loosen compacted soil so the turf roots back in easily. Replace the turf and firm it down, checking it is flush.
pROBlem edGeS
Collapsed edges: Dig out a square of turf all round the hole, lift out and replace it in the same spot after turning it round, so the lawn now has a solid edge with a hole a few inches further back. Repair the hole by topping up with soil and sitting a pre-cut piece of turf over the top, or reseed, ideally in April.
Blurred edges: Lawns and borders gradually merge over time, so you can’t see where one ends and the other begins.
To remedy this, every year or two in early spring, redefine lawn edges using the back of a spade or a half-moon iron. moss and liverwort: Rake moss or liverwort out, then improve the surface drainage by sprinkling a bucketful of sharp sand evenly per square metre. Spike the area well with the points of a garden fork.
If the grass in affected areas still looks thin by
April, over-seed using a mixture of grass seed and sifted topsoil or seed compost for the best results.
BARe pATCHeS
Quick fix: Grass often wears out in places where people walk regularly, especially when the underlying ground is wet and boggy or the same garden route is taken regularly.
Prick over the bare area with a fork to loosen compressed soil and unroll turf over the top.
Add or remove soil to ensure it fits flush with the adjacent grass, and firm well down with your feet.
Make sure there’s no raised rim where the old and new grass meet. long-term solution: If the same patch of grass is regularly
worn bare, a better option is to set a staggered row of paving slabs into the lawn as stepping stones.
Sink them in so the surface is flush with the lawn and the mower glides safely over the top – or put in a proper path. Set a square of paving slabs outside the shed door and any other heavily used areas. Well-worn lawn: Where large parts of a lawn are frequently muddy or scuffed due to heavy use, it’s best to reinforce the turf with stiffish plastic mesh with holes about an inch across.
Some products are designed especially for this job but you can use any strong plastic mesh sold for general garden use.
Cut the grass short then lay the mesh out all over the area. Pull it taut and secure firmly with the special pegs provided, making sure they’re not sticking up to wreck your mower later.
Ensure that edges and corners of the mesh are secured, for the same reason.
Then apply a light top-dressing. Grass will soon grow through the mesh so you can mow over the top of it.
‘‘ Rake moss out then sprinkle sharp sand to improve drainage