In article ,
Dave Fawthrop wrote:

Has anyone any other ideas?
Or things which will survive on these terrible conditions.

If you go in for walking, you will see that trees and shrubs have
no problem colonising old roadways as soon as the surface breaks
up enough to allow their roots to reach down. Your plan sounds
fine to me.

I suggest planting the odd sloe, which is prickly, has flowers in
spring and fruit in autumn. Otherwise any of the shrubs that
naturalise such habitat will do well - hawthorn, privet (native),
elder, and of course the various roses. Plus buddleia :-)


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.