Thankfully the only problem area we know of in our garden is right at the bottom. When contractors tried to dig a hole for a fence post they hit solid concrete about 6" below the surface. Even with a jack hammer they couldn't break through it. Fortunately they managed to swap a full size and half size fence panel to avoid it.
I moved house 17 months ago, into a 60s build. Every time I try to dig a border I spend eons digging out bricks, both red and Cotswold, pieces of wire, glass and boulders and also cotswold stone from what I imagine was once a stone wall. It’s a labour of love ... i have, however, already used a lot of what I’ve dug out so it is good advice to hang on to at least some if it.
Bricks are useful, when I dug a wildlife pond at my brothers new house (was built in the 30's), I found a smashed up old asbestos garage. When I planted a buddleia I found what we think was an old boiler (so corroded it was hard to tell) and his front garden is just buried bricks, concrete and pea shingle (if I want to plant anything I need a crowbar to break the surface so I can dig it out). We live 4 houses apart and I haven't found anything apart from animal bones and broken pottery here.
On our allotment plot I found more asbestos under the old compost heap, enough carpet for Buckingham palace and lots and lots of broken glass.
I think it might be worthwhile investigating a bit more, by removing a few bricks to ascertain what is underneath the bricks. We found sewage pipes passing through our garden and they were lined with bricks on the sides. The layer of bricks was only about a feet below ground level in a straight line across the garden. Just relating my experience so that you will be careful.
Oxford. The City of Dreaming Spires.
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils (roses). Taking a bit of liberty with Wordsworth
@sabeeha If you have a teenager on your side, that’s it when it starts. I was 8 and had the task to keep the garden weed free, being the little one. I did this for hours every weekend, and you can see that in my garden today. I never got bored doing this. I’m sure that moving bricks is exciting if you tell him you have to uncover a Roman mosaic, or just tell the truth: it needs to be done 😀
Bricks are useful, when I dug a wildlife pond at my brothers new house (was built in the 30's), I found a smashed up old asbestos garage. When I planted a buddleia I found what we think was an old boiler (so corroded it was hard to tell) and his front garden is just buried bricks, concrete and pea shingle (if I want to plant anything I need a crowbar to break the surface so I can dig it out). We live 4 houses apart and I haven't found anything apart from animal bones and broken pottery here.
On our allotment plot I found more asbestos under the old compost heap, enough carpet for Buckingham palace and lots and lots of broken glass.
@thevictorian oh dear, literally everything! (Except the kitchen sink 😄)
I have only really become interested in gardening now, as an adult so everything is new (and sometimes overwhelming!) to me.
I found something today which looked like a broken spout, I’m wondering whether it’s a bit of an old clay pipe!
Other than that, rusty nails, broken class, and bindweed roots! 👀
@sabeeha If you have a teenager on your side, that’s it when it starts. I was 8 and had the task to keep the garden weed free, being the little one. I did this for hours every weekend, and you can see that in my garden today. I never got bored doing this. I’m sure that moving bricks is exciting if you tell him you have to uncover a Roman mosaic, or just tell the truth: it needs to be done 😀
@Simone_in_Wiltshire Aw that gives me hope! My boys have no interest in gardening even though I have tried involving them in growing things … digging and breaking things might be more appealing to them! 😒 my daughter who is seven likes to potter about and help me plant things, so it’s mainly her following me about!
I have thought about buying extra tools to get the kids stuck in… I can imagine they will find it very therapeutic once they learn a bit more and know what they’re doing!
I think it might be worthwhile investigating a bit more, by removing a few bricks to ascertain what is underneath the bricks. We found sewage pipes passing through our garden and they were lined with bricks on the sides. The layer of bricks was only about a feet below ground level in a straight line across the garden. Just relating my experience so that you will be careful.
@Eustace didn’t even think of that so thank you for the heads up!
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Every time I try to dig a border I spend eons digging out bricks, both red and Cotswold, pieces of wire, glass and boulders and also cotswold stone from what I imagine was once a stone wall. It’s a labour of love ...
i have, however, already used a lot of what I’ve dug out so it is good advice to hang on to at least some if it.
We live 4 houses apart and I haven't found anything apart from animal bones and broken pottery here.
On our allotment plot I found more asbestos under the old compost heap, enough carpet for Buckingham palace and lots and lots of broken glass.
I ♥ my garden.
I have only really become interested in gardening now, as an adult so everything is new (and sometimes overwhelming!) to me.
Other than that, rusty nails, broken class, and bindweed roots! 👀
I have thought about buying extra tools to get the kids stuck in… I can imagine they will find it very therapeutic once they learn a bit more and know what they’re doing!