Before you put down any stones, make sure you add a layer of well-rotted manure around each tree a sthey need food as well as water but, as indicated above, keep it a couple of inches away from the trunks.
Then lay your weed suppressing fabric and lay stones or gravel on that so no light can get to the soil below. I suspect white stones will be very stark so consider chipped slate or stones in a colour which is sympathetic to your house walls or other hard landscaping in your garden.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
I’m very happy to say that after coming home from 5 weeks at work my trees are in a fabulous condition after looking so poor last year. I did as you all mentioned removing the grass around them and watering more when I’m at home so very obviously what you told me to do made a big difference. Just one issue as you will see with the pics below is that I need to trim back one if the branches as it’s blocking my path. Where should I cut it ? Clean of at the trunk which fir me would be best or somewhere along the branch. I just love the contrasting colours, beautiful.
https://www.finegardening.com/article/pruning-japanese-maples If I advise you to prune any branches I will be under "attack" as on another thread. Read for yourself and you can decide. I prune my acer in June to lose some leaves, I don`t prune much in winter just a few inches off branches that are getting out of hand
Are you in uk? the article relates to pruning acers basically when you feel like it winter or summer. Usually summer pruning is to remove excessive leaves and winter to remove branches to reshape, although it`s a shame to spoil natural shape. I would cut back just enough branch at top of a bud and then prune right back in winter. And that is good advice
Thanks for your reply. Yes I’m in uk, Aberdeen to be precise, I’ve had so many dodgy responses that I was t sure if it was someone trying to get me to log onto a website to buy somesthing, sorry for that. I will do as you suggest tomorrow, thanks
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Then lay your weed suppressing fabric and lay stones or gravel on that so no light can get to the soil below. I suspect white stones will be very stark so consider chipped slate or stones in a colour which is sympathetic to your house walls or other hard landscaping in your garden.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.