Mrs Garden: I think you have done well. The photo is nice. Don't forget you can bring in top soil and manure. You can get this in 1 ton bags for about £50-60. A lorry load would be even less. I have clay soil and its very rocky (London Clay it's called) When I moved in I got a farmer to deliver 3 tons of horse manure. I have given it heaps of garden compost, bags of manure for a few years now, and it's looking like loam. Honestly it can be done.!
I have some limitations but I hacked out last year, twenty minutes at a time, the rubble and darned 'covering' that kept the rubble under the soil which someone thought would keep the weeds at bay. It kept the weed root safe arrrhhhh! Anyway, one bag of small soil/rubble down the tip a week, one bag of something nicer put in its place. Removal of about three thousand pebbles and bits of brick, onion bulber thingies that stopped everything else coming, hacking each day with a screwdriver and a hammer. I hacked down to the roots of anything nasty and ripped it up. Now, I have my wonderful favourites there that mean something to me. And last of all a packet of seeds of Little Dorrit which have taken off everywhere. Latest things, succulents which like a dry patch and can hibernate if necessary. One tiny one is flowering yellow today after the rain. Do not despair, take one metre at a time, tackle it, then expect to go back to it when you have turned your back for two ticks! Depends on your views but I recommend a hammock and some restful watching of clouds next year when it all gets too much. I have one and have enjoyed the near nuddy sunbathing sheltered in the quiet part of the garden. Sounds like your trees offer the same respite. Don't give up. Oh, I went nature watching some years ago and their whole land was aconites, wild flowers, primroses, natural tree dweller plants, big snowdrops that type of thing. It was like a nature paradise and didn't need any attending to as the owners were of an age.
I feel your pain, if I had known anything about gardening 7 years ago I would've probably not wanted to buy this house and garden. It's heavy clay, (found out a few weeks ago that an area nearby used to be a clay pit! ). The house was built in 1960 and I don't think the soil had ever been touched until I got my hands on it. I'm trying my best to improve the soil but it's such hard work especially as OH is not interested whatsoever. Thankyou for sharing your frustration x
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Don't forget you can bring in top soil and manure. You can get this in 1 ton bags for about £50-60. A lorry load would be even less.
I have clay soil and its very rocky (London Clay it's called) When I moved in I got a farmer to deliver 3 tons of horse manure. I have given it heaps of garden compost, bags of manure for a few years now, and it's looking like loam. Honestly it can be done.!
Keep the faith! I think your garden looks good