Problem garden

On the surface (when it's at it's best), our garden looks quite 'nice'. However, underneath the soil (what little there is of it) there lurks some big problems. We moved in 22 years go (a new build) and realised, after having the back garden turfed and a patio/path built, that there was very little depth to the soil. Underneath, there is (what seems to be) solid rock and builder's debris, etc. Also, at the back of us, our neighbour has planted a leylandii border (very well-established now) and the roots from these trees are just everywhere. If I dig a small hole, to plant something, I hit a root. If I try to edge the lawn neatly, I hit a root. It's very frustrating not to be able to plant anything that's able to thrive properly and what makes it worse, is that the shallowest soil seems to be on the side we view from our lounge patio doors. Another problem is the 'lawn', because there is no drainage whatsoever, it gets very soggy.

What I would like advice on is, should we take everything up and get someone to dig down further (with a pneumatic drill maybe), to start a new garden (sacrificing two trees of our own), or have a retaining wall built around the border, to add more soil depth?

 

Getting the <spit> builders back to take out the rubble would be a good starting point

Short of doing that, now (as you say big job; involves ripping everything up ... but you could then chuck it through the builder's showroom windows ...) then raised beds seems like the only answer. Or Astro turf / hard-surface paving/gravel and all plants in pots ...

 

I'm smiling to myself at the thought of seeking out the Fairclough builders (from 1998) and dumping it all on them! As I said, we've lived here 22 years, now. Thanks for taking the time for your suggestions.

 

I agree. Digging out the builders rubble and replacing with good top soil would be a huge job. By doing this you could also create a sump and store the rain water from surrounding gardens.

I'd go hard landscaping and raised beds

 

Thank you for your reply. I'm thinking along those lines, too. There's still the tree roots to cope with, though. How would you go about dealing with those - they're everywhere? It all just makes everything so much harder to do and is so frustrating!

 

Not sure what you can do about neighbour's Leylandii tree roots ... cut through them when you encounter them and need to create a bed there, but needs to be done without causing damage to neighbours trees ...

 

I cut down the Leylandii when I moved in:



and got a spade and dug them out



Sorted :



not really an option with neighbours trees though

 

The truth is, I can't tell which roots belong to which trees. Our two trees are a hawthorn and a 'something else' (both medium sized with trunks about 8 inches thick). So, could I get away with 'accidentally' cutting through the unwanted ones? The neighbour's Leylandii are very intrusive and reach far beyond the fence on our side, than theirs. The trunks are right up to the fence, as well. It's quite annoying and very limiting.

 

Can anyone tell me where I can buy some of these pavers from, please? I've searched and searched online, but can only find in USA.

 

I was assuming adjacent to a boundary hedge ... but now hearing

you are right @ARMANDII (Bank that one!!!) , and it may not be that clear

I have got stuff like that of eBay. I leave a search running, and it can sometimes be months before the right thing comes up, close enough to me, and at a price I am prepared to pay

I give myself Brownie Points for reuse-recycling though ...

 

I think if it was me I would look upon it as an opportunity to do something different. But, it does, of course, depend on what you hope to achieve and how much money you want to spend (bearing in mind that you may decide to move in the future or get fed up of looking at what you've done and want to change it again ). You could turn your waterlogged lawn into a bog garden or even a rain garden. A small raised wildlife pond too, perhaps. Lots of flowers and grasses that will grow happily in poor soils to give plenty of colours and movement. How about incorporating a rockery. Dry river beds. Just a few ideas to consider maybe.

 

Thank you all for your replies. At the moment, I'm just mulling over ideas, as I have a cast on my left hand and am limited as to what I can do myself. I've got quite a lot done over the last fortnight and am feeling that I've achieved something. I power washed the patio, path and side of the house (got distracted and carried away by cleaning the bins - all five of them!). Re-edged the lawn and have planted some plants I got delivered. Oh and let's not forget, I also enjoyed knocking down an old shed, which enabled me to get rid of some Corona frustration! I love that mallet!

 

What do you call them, in your search? When I've tried, nothing the same has come up. They are cut at an angle.