"Padz" wrote in message
...
I've moved house & want to start on the garden but am not what you'd
call an experienced gardener. Help!! Garden is about 15' wide by about
100' long and near the house there is a lot of biulding waste - bricks
etc, littlle bit of cement here and there. Not being too wealthy I'm
kind of resigned to clearing it myself but would like to know about
top soil. Soil seems quite clay (SE london), if I got rid of the worst
should I get someone to come in & add a load of nice topsoil or what
are the options. Tempting to push the overdraft a bit more & get
someone to do the lot, there's access at the back to get a mini digger
& skip in but no idea of costs. All advice welcome.

Ta

Paddy

London SE was/is part of Kent. The soil is exceptionally fertile though
can vary.
Low areas of SE such as Deptford have quite a depth of silt over the
underlying clay. This is very early to produce but dries very quickly. SE4
and SE6 have just a few inches of silt on the clay and very good soil.
"If you don't wash your hands after gardening your finger nails will grow
roots" I was once kidded!!
High areas have solid clay. Kidbrooke seemed to have no silt covering at
all but the clay soon became workable after exposure.
The rubble could, quite simply, be buried.
It wouldn't even increase the existing height.
At about ten inches it would soon become deeper and do nothing but good.
Top soil would be no better than your own which was probably market garden
or farmland originally.
Grow the very best roses.!!
Best Wishes Brian. 'flayb' to respond.