"Martin Sykes" wrote in message
...
"Andy" wrote in message
...
As they need their feet in water - or at least very damp - wouldn't it
get a bit thirsty? Unless you had a bog next to the house in which
case you'd probably get rising damp.

It is in a shady, damp corner of the garden next to the house. The garden
has a natural slope so water runs down and puddles before draining away
very
slowly although quick enough that the house shouldn't be affected. Surface
water rarely stays for more than 24 hours. The gunnera is planted in a
hole
lined with pond liner with a few holes in it so it doesn't turn into a
puddle.


I doubt you'll have a problem with the gunnera drying out the subsoil below
foundation level and causing shrinkage (assuming a 'shrinkable' subsoil)
because it sounds like it is in a very wet area, and, presumably, you'll be
sloshing loads of water onto it in dry spells. If the soil around it starts
to look parched and cracked, you could always get rid of it.