Flowerbed soil

Hi, I'm having a real problem with my front flowerbed. At the beginning of the season it looks lovely because there's a lot of Aqualigia, bulbs, iris, day lily leaf & a large shrub etc but now it's just looking rather sad, with the exception of the lilac & lavender. The soil is terribly dry & nothing really grows in there this time of year. I've bought some farmyard manure (Gro sure) if I add that to the soil & give it a good dig will it improve the soil? Or do I need to do more? I have a real problem with ground elder in this bed too I've spent a lot of time this year trying to remove it...I'm either winning the battle or the soil is so bad it doesn't want to grow there anymore! . Any advice would be greatfully received!

 

Digging in manure is a good way of improving the soil and gaining nutrients and compost will also help by holding moisture. If you can do this spring and autumn the bed will be a big improvement in no time. Keep an eye on the ground elder situation, as you say you may have starved it out but the improvement to the soil may trigger any roots back into action.

 

@Beckie76

Have you removed these or do they come back year after year?
If these are healthy and reappear every spring. It's probably lack of water and not terrible soil.
I would mulch with manure and compost as digging would disturb your bulbs etc try and do this when the soil is damp and repeat every year.

 

Thanks for your reply @Sheal.
I'd really like to put some roses in that bed to give it some height & interest. I Put a lot of foxgloves in there earlier in the year, even those struggled to put on a good show . Anyway I shall sort it thanks again for your help.

 

Thanks for your replies @JWK & @NigelJ.
The Aqualigia & bulbs do come back every year, but delphiniums, lupins etc never manage the winter nor do they ever put on a good show, my neighbours flowerbed backs on to mine & although it's full of ruddy ground elder & bindweed she gets lovely results every year.
I'd like to put some Roses in this bed, could I put a thick layer of manure on the bed now? Or is it too early?

 

Ok, @JWK I shall wait.....for summer & wait until the autumn until I add the well rotted manure, thanks for your help

 

Meanwhile @Beckie76 you could order the bare root roses to go in that bed.

 

I couldn't agree more @Sheal that's exactly what I need to do!