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Tree roots in our new garden - help!!

kathryn.barkerkathryn.barker Posts: 6
in Problem solving
Hi all, relative newbie to gardening and need lots of your wonderful advice please. 

We recently bought our (hopefully) forever home and have started to look at garden ideas.  We have several large trees (beautiful) but a garden full of roots, some old, some new.  We’ve started to dig over the beds to start planting but we hit roots more often than not.  Our last garden was a new build plot so this is a new problem for us. Any ideas as to how to start to cultivate more flowerbeds? Do we need to put in raised beds or can we work around the roots? All the beds would get full sunshine at some point during the day. Thank you in advance for your wise words! 
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  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    A photo might be useful to help us advise... unfortunately, beautiful large trees inevitably have a lot of roots, generally spreading as far in the soil as the branches do overhead.  You can often work round them, and plant shallow-rooted things in the tree-root zone.  Don't despair, woodland gardens can be gorgeous.   :)
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • kathryn.barkerkathryn.barker Posts: 6
    Thank you, we love having some more established trees but are clueless where to start.  I think we’re most worried about ploughing on and then realising we’ve damaged something important!  Please excuse the paddling pool, it’s been extremely hot today. 😂the third photo shows the bed we started digging over today.  A mix of old and new roots I think?
  • berginjim5berginjim5 Posts: 46
    kathryn.barker said:
    Thank you, we love having some more established trees but are clueless where to start.  I think we’re most worried about ploughing on and then realising we’ve damaged something important!  Please excuse the paddling pool, it’s been extremely hot today. 😂the third photo shows the bed we started digging over today.  A mix of old and new roots I think?
    id go for raised beds ,you can get some lovely materials to edge deep raised beds and that would solve the problem , also the soil will be poor around the rooty areas 
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    Thanks for the photos, @kathryn.barker .  That's an interesting site, and the greenery will provide a lovely background.

    Are you just wanting shrubs and plants to provide colour at the edge of the garden where you've started to dig, or is there a particular "look" you're going for?  You have to be careful with raised beds under trees, because some trees will turn up their toes if you cover the base of their trunk with soil.  Also, personally, I think they can look quite artificial in a naturalistic garden.  However, if you wanted to grow veg or strawberries, say, and could identify a sunny, open spot, a raised bed might work there.
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • WaysideWayside Posts: 845
    Looks to me like a monster plot, and borders have been cleared probably for the sale, or for fence erection.

    Personally I'd soften the edges with shrubs. I'm not one for stark fencing.  The concrete bases looks pretty robust.  You've plenty room there, so can always plant shrubs away from the fencing to allow for air flow.

    Flower beds could be away from those trees, you've a huge space around the patio.  Or you could place islands or strips here and there for interesting divides.

    You'll want to research what will grow behind the drip line of the trees if you must plant.  Under some trees not much will grow anyway.  The evergreens will probably shield the ground from rain all year round, so it will be dry there.  You need to get to know the pockets in your garden.

    I planted a lavender hedge under some trees when we first got to our house.  In short, a mistake for my location.  Some is trial and error.  It takes a fair while to get to grips with a plot.  Learning where the sun falls etc.  Worth asking a veteran to walk around the space with you.  And to pause for thought.

    You've got some beautiful scaffolding in terms of interest in those trees.

    Not sure when you moved in, but also bear in mind that bulbs could be all over the place!

    I dug beds under two trees for planting out, and removed some roots, but it soon comes back!  I squeezed some helebores in. If you provide a nice environment for plants the trees will say thankyou!

    You can hack away at some roots, and in some cases it can help.  But you might also damage trees.

    The plot has me salivating.

  • kathryn.barkerkathryn.barker Posts: 6
    I just want to add a bit of life to it, my natural go to plants are typical English country garden flowers but I’m not sure they fit in our new garden.  We have two small children so want to keep a lot of running around space but, as you said, just looking for a bit of colour and life around the edges. We have a plot at the back to use for a veggie patch for the kids, I have some hebes and hydrangeas from our old garden to plant.
    Do you mean ‘interesting’ as in good or bad? I’m feeling a bit downhearted about it all this evening!🤦🏼‍♀️
  • kathryn.barkerkathryn.barker Posts: 6
    I meant to add, the previous owners removed a lot of trees from the back, I’m not entirely sure why but it seems to have left it feeling a bit flat.  I’m hoping it has some potential long term?
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    I mean "interesting" as in good.   :)  Take your time - if it's your forever home, you've got forever to make it look the way you want. 
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • kathryn.barkerkathryn.barker Posts: 6
    Thank you, you’ve made me and my husband feel a bit more hopeful that it’s not a lost cause and a bad buy! And you’re spot on, we’ve got a long time to design it hopefully.  Will start my research tomorrow I think. Can I come back for more help if/when I inevitably have more questions?!😂
  • Mary370Mary370 Posts: 2,003
    I have a huge tree in my small front garden, the ground is full of roots.  The trick is to put in plants while they are small.......I have lots growing there now
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