Ideas for clay soil

Last year I had my back garden landscaped, but couldn't afford to have it professionally planted. It was previously fully paved with raised beds, but now has a teardrop shaped lawn with a patio area and curved beds on the north and east facing sides, which are fenced. Now I have the daunting task of planting and I need suggestions/advice for some colourful, but low maintenance shrubs. It's a south facing garden, but there's a mature flowering cherry for shade on the east facing side. The main problem is that it has a clay subsoil (no doubt that's why the previous occupant paved it) and I don't really know where to start.

 

Do you actually mean clay subsoil, or is it that top soil that's clay?

If its the subsoil, I see no problem. If you meant the top soil is clay, you could just improve it with some compost, rotted manure, or soil improver/conditioner (I'm sure the latter is just a posh marketing name for compost - but I could be wrong).

 

Well, I don't have to go far down to get to clay, so maybe just improving it would be a start. Would that be enough? Most of the plants I've looked at require a "free draining soil," which mine isn't. The new lawn has certainly been pretty squelchy over the winter, but I'll be buying an aerator and some sharp sand over the weekend.

 

Thanks for responding, Armandii. I certainly don't want to be digging anything up, especially as I have a dodgy back! Looks like I'll have to deal with it in sections. I'm beginning to think raised beds was a good idea. I haven't tested the soil yet, but considering the number of pink hydrangeas I've seen in local gardens, I suspect it will be alkaline.

I did specify the orientation in my original post - south facing with the borders on the north and east facing sides backed by Lap fencing. Due to the position of the house and garage, it wasn't practical to have south a facing border. The east facing border is partially shaded by a flowering cherry. There's no significant slope.

 

Very important before you spend you good money on any plants/trees/shrubs that the soil is good.
For clay soil, I tilled it, put manure and peet down and tilled again. Then you plant, then it works.

 

You're right. I think I have some hard work ahead of me!

I'm sure everyone asks for the same thing. LOL! Thanks for the suggestions. :D I have a few of those in the front garden, as well as roses, of course. I took the easy way out at the weekend and planted a blueberry in a container. :D

 

Lorry - I think that much of Britain is on clay. I certainly am.

For me the key was in understanding what clay is and does. There was a thread here on it. http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/Thread-Improving-clay.html?highlight=Clay

Clay can be very much improved by incorporating grit and organic matter. It has many advantages, it has a lot of nutrition and holds water in the summer even as it is cracking, so there are benefits in having clay.

 

Thank you, Peter, I'll check that thread out.