We have clay soil... In a wet but sunny spot marsh marigolds do well, as well as marsh cinquefoil. Also have primula beesiana and devils bit scabious but early days for those...in a shadier spot pulmonarias seem happy, as does mahonia, kirengeshoma palmata, viburnum, a few damp loving ferns (Japanese beech fern in very wet spot) , dogwoods, Tiarella, Comfrey (garden form) Ajuga, small ivies, Lamium, Hesperantha, Hemp Agrimony, Loosestrife, Vinca.... In the slightly drier and sunnier spots roses are doing well, Pyracantha, Geranium Rozanne, heathers, Hebe, California Lilac, Buddleia.... Annuals that did well this summer were Cosmos, poached egg plant, Californian Poppies, Nigella, Cornflower, Foxgloves, Mallow, Nasturtium (although it was a super hot dry spell here so may not be representative).... The only things I have attempted but have failed are Lavender (staying in pots!), Bay (also in a pot!), Salvia a bit unhappy... Photinia Red Robin looking a bit bedraggled... But in general have been surprised at what has taken off in what I thought was going to be a major challenge 😊 good luck with your garden.
I too have clay soil so these lists are wonderful, I have quite a few of them, but great to have other choices to add. Ferns are really good, and also seem very happy in the bottom section which is very dry, light soil under a heavy canopy of trees. They self seed abundantly there and I move some into the damp clay areas. Win=Win as they say.
I didn't want to start a new thread, so thought I'd add on a question here.
Is it better to add horticultural grit or well rotted manure to heavy clay soil? I'm sure that adding both of them would be the best thing, but if you were only to do one which one?
Fantastic list, must print this out! Using chipped bark as a layer of mulch also helps condition the clay soil in my experience.
Not sure if you’re interested in fruit and veg too, then a whole new world opens up. I started a veg patch cut out from an area of lawn last summer and the results were amazing! All that fertility in the clay...and an old cox apple tree produced well over 100 apples.
Bronze fennel went crazy in my clay soil here compared to my previous place which was light and sandy Soil (which it is supposed to prefer). Here it grew to over 10 feet tall and was a big attraction for wildlife but oh the self seeding...
Bronze fennel went crazy in my clay soil here compared to my previous place which was light and sandy Soil (which it is supposed to prefer). Here it grew to over 10 feet tall and was a big attraction for wildlife but oh the self seeding...
Then I must try this for this year. Bronze fennel looks so beautiful, let it self seed!
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Not sure if you’re interested in fruit and veg too, then a whole new world opens up. I started a veg patch cut out from an area of lawn last summer and the results were amazing! All that fertility in the clay...and an old cox apple tree produced well over 100 apples.