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Laurel hedge
linda.lythall
Posts: 3
Planted a Laurel hedge around our garden in 2019 which is thickening and growing however, there are 2 areas which are struggling due to the ground being waterlogged around 1 foot below the surface. We have replaced the hedge in these areas 3 times and tried potting grit and compost under these but still they are not growing. Have you any advice how this can be rectified or any suggestions of any hedge that like wet conditions that we could plant in these areas that would blend in with the Laurels. Thank you.
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Posts
Thank you for your reply. The area to the front (picture 1) is the worse and is around 3x2 metres, we think there may be a water plain in this area as we have replaced the Laurels 3 times and when removing the old ones there is a pool of water around a foot below the surface and neighbours say that the area use to be a marshland.
The area to the side (picture 2) we think is due to poor drainage as in this area when we have heavy rain the water sits on the surface of the slate and the soil underneath is clay. All the other Laurels are thriving (picture 3) we have tried putting grit and more compost into the hole before replacing the Laurels but we have had no luck. any advice would be much appreciated.
Kinda regards
Linda
Hi, linda.lythall. I'm certainly no expert on the subject but, purely from observation, it looks as though you're part of a fairly modern development. Builders' primary aim is to leave a site level and looking good, without any concern for what purchasers might want to grow in their plots. It's therefore possible that the marked differences between two areas so close together, i.e. the two bits of your hedge, could be due to a quantity of clay having been left in that particular spot? There are such things as petrol driven 'augers', basically a giant drill, that contractors use for creating holes for fencing etc. so, it may be an option for a few pounds to either engage a contractor, or hire such a machine from a hire shop, to run along the offending hedge line and create ten or a dozen holes. This could give you an insight as to what's below the surface, and possibly improve the drainage. It may equally do nowt, but your hedge is clearly important to you and may be worth a try.