Almost 11 months since we started planting now…

I sympathise with you Karen. When we first came here it was clay soil but not as bad as yours. I lost count how many bags I put in and it has paid off.
It must take an age to water all your plants!

I also sympathise Karen. we have areas that only hav 10" of soil then we hit bedrock chalk so not even able to dig it out.

I am still removing builders rubble and our house was built in 1965/66.

Thank you both. When it comes down to it we mostly have to work with what we have don’t we. Builders are charlatans and there’s no way we can afford to have it all removed. Plants are very forgiving though, and most will survive.

I’m in a relatively new build, well it was when we moved in, Karen. It’s been 25 yrs now. We’re still finding bits of rubble…plastic..bolts and hinges etc..I understand how you and Eileen feel!
It’s all looking good, you’ve made such a lot of progress in such a short time too. I may have to consider your dwarf varieties for here.

Looking lovely, thanks for keeping us up to date as it progresses.

I’m going to try Buddleia weyeriana Sungold instead of the Roses on the other side of the wall. They can grow in walls!

Your garden is looking so good Karen. All your hard work is paying off. My garden is on limestone bed rock. Lucky if you can find 12 inch of soil in some areas.

There you go Homebird See….its never ideal is it? I think, in all honesty, this is what gardening is. A big load of problem solving. If it’s not the soil, it’s the pests and wildlife, then there’s the weather of course! Then there’s space, and the lack of it. And yet it brings us so much joy when we get those plant friends to grow and flower, and we manage to create something of a sanctuary for ourselves and the wildlife :)