Planting on side of raised percolation area, yes or no?

Clay

Have had to installed raised percolation area in the back garden, now personally I think it looks shocking but what can you do. It is a mound of about 25ft long by 4/5 ft high. I would like to plant up the side facing the house, what would you recommend? The soil is wet heavy clay and got water logged at the ground over the winter but is drying out well now. What plants dont mind wet conditions? Any advice would be appricated.

walltoall

Yo Clay, love your handle. Don't be such a pessimist. That bank is an opportunity. When it dries out that bank is a gardeners godsend. It will be dry by nature. All banks are. I would plump for strawberries if it is south facing. Strawberries by nature look for south-facing banks. If it is east facing put in bulbs and corms. They like a shot of quick heat on cool mornings. West facing try raspberries. They love the afternoon and evening sun (when it shines). What part of the country are you in assuming you are even in Ireland. Your profile gives nothing away.
walltoall

Clay · Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 2:44 pm Post subject:

Hi walltoall,
thanks for the reply, it is east facing (had to think about that one), I'll dicky up my profile when I get a chance. In Wexford. The percolation area was installed summer '08 and didn't do anything with it straight away which was a good thing as now at least I learn over the winter how water logged the area became. Put it this way you'd want your wellies! So i suppose anything I plant now will have to be able to survive the wet in the winter, dont want to plant stuff that cant stand the wet of the winter.

Thanks again

Liparis · Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 2:51 pm Post subject:

I think the clue is in 'Clay'!
If it's wet, heavy clay, when it dries out it will be dry, heavy rock! Not a lot is going to grow in that. I'd be a bit worried as to why a percolation area was put into such ground. Where's it gonna go? Does it percolate into good free-draining soil?
I assume you want to hide the eyesore, so you need to come back towards the house until you get good topsoil then plant some fast growing shrubs etc. There's loads to choose from, as long as your in good topsoil. So before you decide what to plant, see how far back from it you need to be before you can plant. The further back from the percolation unit the taller your plantings will have to be.
Bill.

James Kilkelly

Clay · Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 11:09 am Post subject: Thanks

Thank you for your replies, you've been more than helpful. Love the website and the way you share your knowledge.

bthorn · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 28 Jul 2009 Posts: 28

I see here something about Grass of Parnassus (parnassia palustris) being around in old Scotland.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grass_of_Parnassus

Does that make it an Irish native too ?
Are there other native ornamental grasses ?

forest flame · Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 10:29 pm Post subject:

a couple of gunnera would give a great splash even though they die back in winter

bthorn · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 28 Jul 2009 Posts: 28

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gunnera_tinctoria_2.jpg

This is your advice for perc areas, man ?

These things are foolish enough for existing gardens on floody streams.
Putting them on a perc area is lunacy.
Look at the size of them, the crudeness of them.
To say nothing of their roots.

And it seems they are getting out of hand in the west -

http://www.mayococo.ie/en/Services/Heritage/GunneratinctoriaGiantrhubarb/