"ant" wrote in message
Farm1 wrote:

LOL. Take heart. I started in this place with some very rotten
dirt
and the hydophobic soil too. It took me a long time of using
manure
and mulch but each year things do get better. I now have worms
and
instead of being a pale calf sht yellow colour I now have soem
areas
of rich brown soil.

The top few inches is often quite good, stuff that's built up over
the rock
and shale. But it's shallow, and it is quite hydrophobic.

I once asked the 666 guru if I could use wetta soil in the garden
because I didn't want it to damage worms. He reckoned it'd be OK but I
still ahve doubts and ahve never used it. I fidn that if I can
improve the humus level and don't elt it dry out too much, then it's
not so hydrophobic.


If I plant a tree,
I make a little saucer around the base for it, to retain the water.
I
planted some argyle apples (not my favourite gum) in deep holes, and
they
just took off. crazed trees, never seen anything like it.
I give every new tree a green 2 year plant pill.

Must try those for some fruit trees I've jsut planted.

BTW, not all English style plants are a failure in our area - it
just
means choosing the right ones. Tell your mother to give you some
Euphorbia s - they do reasonably well in rotten soilb ut do
brilliantly in better soil. I buy 2 English gardenign mags -
"Garedens Illustrated" and "The English Garden" as I find that the
ideas are so good int hem for design and mass planting but then I
have
to choose the local do good plants.

One of the best trees here is Oaks, so lots of english things are
ok.... the
buxus hedge is doing well (silly fussy little thing it is, the roos
take
leaps over it). Roses love it. Many herbs (woody ones) do really
well.
Chinese elms!

Well that's a good list.

Also go off to some fo the open gardesn roudn here - lots of good
ones
round here. Try to get to Michelago if it's ever open.

Micelago is a great garden, I love those pipes made into pillars for
the
wisteria walk.

Yes, it's brialliant.

Just down the hill from me some people have their garden open
every spring. Huge trees, which are the bones of the garden, it is
quite
magnificent.

Name? Or is that asking too much given the lack of privacy involved.