Help needed for a 'problem corner'.

I would say Fidgetmums advice is spot on. The other problem you have is on the other side of the fence, i.e. a tree, which is also taking nutrients from soil on your side of the fence, and will continue to do so as long as it's there.

Digging over the soil, after getting rid of the Ivy which really isn't the main problem, the tree is, and rejuvenating it with a goodly amount of compost will help greatly. So even with the tree leaching nutrients from your side of the fence you should, as Fidgetmum has said, be able to get various plants to grow reasonably happily - just keep feeding the area regularly. Good luck

 

It doesn't look too much of a problem to me but may take some time and a little bit of money.

As Fidgetsmum has said you need to start with cutting back the ivy. It should be totally removed from the fence. This is where some of the money may come in. I would guess that there may be some repair needed to the fence.

Removing the major ivy roots and then digging up the smaller ones will take time and effort but is not too difficult - but you won't get all the ivy out. Regular maintenace will eventually remove it.

Well rotted compost and manure will work wonders with the soil and cutting a nice sharp edge to the resulting bed will make it look good immediately. I don't know where you live but if you are near some stables or a farm with horses you can quite often pick up well rotted horse manure. In towns they tend to charge for it but in country areas it is normally free if you dig it out yourself.

The conifer is not overhanging too badly and it appears as though someone has been keeping the righthand side of it cut back. You obviously have some other big trees as the shade on the area you wish to deal with is not from the conifer in view. There seems to be a reasonable amount of light on the bed even though it is in shadow so there should be a wide range of plants you could put there.

So, I reckon that if you have the time to put in you could have that looking good for the summer.

 

There are many attractive plants that can be grown up a fence. Particularly some that will give you lots of colour.

The problem with leaving the ivy on the fence is that it can harbour quite a number of nasties that may cause trouble for the things you plant in the bed - not too high a risk but a nuisance to get rid of because the ivy is so dense. Also, the roots may be very well founded in the bed you want to create.

The disadvantage with removing the ivy is the possible condition of the fence underneath. If the timber is sturdy then I would remove the ivy, you will almost certainly need to rub the wood down and put a stain/paint/coating on it and plan on a variety of plants to grow up it - maybe using wire or netting to assist it.

There are also a large number of attractive evergreen/gold/grey/variegated perrenials that could be grown in front of the fence (instead of up it) that would give a more interesting look as they would be different heights and you would then be able to brighten up that corner.

Plus you could grow something like a Freemontodendron which is an evergreen shrub/tree that can grow 15-20ft high but is easily controlled and grown like a cordon to give wonderful flowers through May and June with the occasional flowers through to autumn.


I bought this one at a height of 4ft for £15 in 2007 and sited it where my neighbours fence was falling down.




The following year it had grown well and I had started growing it as a cordon on wires in front of his new fence




A wonderful plant but not good with very young children as they have very fine burrs on them.