[aine]

i am planning on constructing some shrub beds and i need some advice. the area is currently covered in hardcore (think thats what you call it)....since our house was built. it is edged on one side by the lawn, and on the other side by a brick edging with a concrete path. the bed is 6 foot wide. it runs 64 feet on one side and 5 on another

i was thinking of digging the hardcore away...what should i do then? i have a supply of top soil. should i add fertiliser? i want to bring the beds up to the level of the lawn which runs alongside the area...so the beds would be approx half a foot high....once i get rid of the stoney hardcore. what would grow in an area like this...is the depth adequate enough? anything otehr tahn alpines? any shrubs?

[walltoall]

"Hardcore" in itself is not an issue. Hardcore is often builder's rubble, lots of concrete broken up, oul cement sweepings, bricks, maybe timber. It gives great drainage and is (usually!) high in lime. Depending on what you can and can't do, it is possible to cover over hardcore with a depth of FARMYARD manure. This is from cows and can be wet or dry. Leave it over the winter and in Spring on top you put a few inches of topsoil and away you go. Shrubs will grow in the craziest of conditions, but steer clear of those that need acid (bog) soil unless that is what you got. (Camellias, rhododendrons, heathers). If you are in an exposed site there are scores of hardy shrubs that cope with wind, cold, salt, wet, dry. Sky's the limit Áine. BTW, try to get your hands on a copy of Tree and Shrub Expert.