Hi everyone,

I would be glad if people could advise me how to safely plant a soakaway
area. I have an area of lawn that has a soakaway (from our septic tank)
passing beneath it. Hence, the grass grows extremely richly and has to
be constantly mown . . . which is a bore, and a bit difficult as the
area is on something of an incline.

I understand that if I planted this area with shrubs and bushes that are
fibrous and deep-rooted, then they could obstruct the soakaway process.
Highly fibrous roots would head for the soakaway pipes and conduits and,
over time, block them. (I discovered with horror at another property
many years ago that ivy roots had penetrated 18 inches up rainwater
pipes that discharged into the earth, so that the pipes were completely
blocked!)

Ornamental grasses are one solution, but the area would look better
"bushed". The look I'ld like to achieve would be similar to a dense 30
feet by 40 feet area of rhododendrons. (Whether the roots of
rhododendrons would be OK, I don't know!) But evergreen bushes of say 5
to 6 feet high would look best.

Any suitable suggestions?

Thanks.

Eddy.