"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
along the length of my front garden the soil is very shallow due to a
concrete bed. one thought is to create a raised bed, and I may well
consider this if all else fails. (the entire garden and drive needs an
overhaul although cash is the limiting factor!)


Can you define "shallow?" Some people consider a foot shallow; others
might mean 4 ". It would also be useful to know if it's acid or alkaline
soil.

You would probably be looking at plants which thrive in exposed
starved coastal or mountainous regions, such as various herbs, heathers,
grasses, gorse. Or possibly, some of the tougher species roses, rugosa
or burnett. See if your library has a book by Beth Chatto called The
Gravel Garden.

thanks for the reply - I think the soil was alkaline. I need to retest
because I have forgotten. the soil is most certainly shallow, I would say
about 1 foot of soil.

I'll check out that book,

Ta