The biggest challenge might be getting rid of the excess gravel and hardcore. Maybe freecycle it for someone who's building a driveway or patio to collect.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
I'd say it would be possible to crowbar planting pockets into the hardcore. I know what Jenny means by creating sumps but you would be planting into pockets within the hardcore rather than digging into the clay. (Roots would potentially be able to get down into the clay to access water though). See Marlorena's posts in the following thread:
If you are content with leaving it fairly open but adding a few grasses and perennials, I think it would be quite easy, and you could start with a few groups and see how it went.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
Another option is to construct a raised bed in a contemporary style and plant it with easy maintenance small evergreen shrubs and perennials. As long as you don’t obstruct the drain area, you could make the raised bed a simple oblong or an L shape. It would also help to create a privacy screen if you ever sit in that area. Your builder or the previous owner’s builder has done a professional job laying that gravel properly, personally I wouldn’t start excavating it unless you are a really keen gardener and don’t like gravel!
Another option is to construct a raised bed in a contemporary style and plant it with easy maintenance small evergreen shrubs and perennials. As long as you don’t obstruct the drain area, you could make the raised bed a simple oblong or an L shape. It would also help to create a privacy screen if you ever sit in that area. Your builder or the previous owner’s builder has done a professional job laying that gravel properly, personally I wouldn’t start excavating it unless you are a really keen gardener and don’t like gravel!
Yes the gravel was done by builder and it has been weed free for more than a year and I don't really want to dig the membrane. My initial idea was to add shallow planters as edge/boundary and plant some shrub in them but I am not sure how long they can survive in planters.
For most shrubs you'd need large, deep planters. In an open front garden like that they should also be anchored down somehow or heavy enough that they can't easily be moved. There are some light-fingered people about.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
@JennyJ has a good point to consider about containers disappearing! A raised bed would be more difficult to move - you can do this relatively inexpensively with wooden sleepers, ideally oak which looks better and won't need staining or preserving.
Olive tree? Agave, sage, rosemary, creeping Thyme, few small boulders. Low maintenance is the key here.. However, that front wall looks like it is screaming for a climbing kiwi or passion fruit.
I certainly wouldn't remove the gravel. If you clear it for planting directly, just put it on top of the existing stuff. I'd agree though re planters - makes it much easier if the subsoil etc under the gravel is rubbish, but they need to be sizeable and heavy. Sleepers are a good shout.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks all for your suggestions. I am going to explore the options in local garden centre this weekend. A tree near window would block the morning sun into the front room so it needs to be something growing either close to wall or may be in the middle of window.
For the edges, I will go with the option of planters ( if i can find decent without breaking the bank) and will plant bushes/plants which can give me a height of around 1 meter
Just be aware that the planters you can buy are often quite small, and lightweight, so if you intend putting shrubs in them, that may not work well They'll also need a soil based medium to fill them with - not just compost. That won't sustain anything for more than a few months. If you have a tree, either use the spot already shown in the drawing by @JennyJ, or something similar - completely central, or to on side/corner, depending on preference. Right against the wall isn't a good idea, for various reasons, and in the middle of the window it would need to be far enough away to avoid any problems with the wall itself, and to allow access to the wall/window too.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
Planting on Hardcore — BBC Gardeners' World Magazine (gardenersworld.com)
If you are content with leaving it fairly open but adding a few grasses and perennials, I think it would be quite easy, and you could start with a few groups and see how it went.
I'd agree though re planters - makes it much easier if the subsoil etc under the gravel is rubbish, but they need to be sizeable and heavy. Sleepers are a good shout.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
For the edges, I will go with the option of planters ( if i can find decent without breaking the bank) and will plant bushes/plants which can give me a height of around 1 meter
They'll also need a soil based medium to fill them with - not just compost. That won't sustain anything for more than a few months.
If you have a tree, either use the spot already shown in the drawing by @JennyJ, or something similar - completely central, or to on side/corner, depending on preference. Right against the wall isn't a good idea, for various reasons, and in the middle of the window it would need to be far enough away to avoid any problems with the wall itself, and to allow access to the wall/window too.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...