On a practical level how do you cope with applying manure to a border with
a
bark chip mulch. If you want to manure and mulch every year, does this
rule
out bark chips.

Thanks for your comments. The main reason for the interest in bark chip is
that I have just found an excellent source at a local saw mill. There is a
pile bigger than my house and they are chargeing 50p for a dustbin full.
If I could get manure or compost at that price I would use that. I
understand that any decomposed organic matter will improve clay, by binding
the tiny clay particles together into larger particles. The tiny particle
size being the cause of all the problems.

Peter