We bought a house when there was 3' of snow on the ground. This year, we found out the lawns are literally so lumpy they're difficult to walk on, with patches of ragged looking grass between spots of hard as a rock soil. I've gardened for decades and never seen anything like it. I think it's decades of neglect as this early 1960s house was lived in until the 95 year old owner's family sold it to us. Front lawn is mostly shade; back is sun. Both have the same problem.

I think it needs dethatched, compost on top, watered, and left to sit a while for the compost to help the bugs, worms, whatever in the soil to loosen it up before we either dig/roll/reseed or replace with new sod. The large cedar hedge, mid sized evergreen hedge, roses, peonies, dogwoods and other shrubs/small trees are all doing fine in this soil, so I think it's just very bad lawn care, not the soil itself.

Opinions welcome as I'm at a loss as how anyone could let things just go for so long. I'm in Hamilton, Ontario, zone 6B. Suggestions welcome.