In article ,
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Eddy could also cover the area required with newspapers, soak them
well and cover the papers with soil. Eventually this smother the grass
and turf. Some will poke through but he can hand pick them easily. The
soil added on top should be of good quality which would later benefit
the plants planted in the bed, giving it a good start.

Helene, this sounds like a good way to go, rather than spend hours
slicing off the top two inches - because if I did remove the top two
inches I'ld feel it necessary to replace them with topsoil. So why
bother? As you suggest, just smother the grass naturally, and add
topsoil on top.

And then suddenly, after thinking I'ld exhausted the business of what
may be safely plant in a soakaway, comes a very strong suggestion from a
gardener in Canada who tells me the easiest and best solution would be
established rhododendrons!

Now, rhododendrons was my first thought, before I asked for help in this
forum! West Wales is full of them. Generally purple-flowered. Some
Welsh residents hate them, saying they are not native and they disallow
anything else from growing beneath them. But that wouldn't worry me.
A 6-foot high "wood" of rhododedrons below this house would look
terrific and I know the cats would love to scamper beneath them! As
for soil-type: I have tested the Ph of the ground here at it's acid, and
being not too far from the Welsh border we get plenty of rain!

This Canadian gardener says "rhodies" are shallow-rooted and that their
roots form "a saucer shape". If we planted established rhodies the
whole problem of eternally mowing this luxuriant lawn-upon-soakaway
would be instantly solved.

Can people confirm that rhodies are indeed shallow-rooted?

Many many thanks!

Eddy.


Yes they are shallow rooted. I can not remember now why you went off the
idea!
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea