Planting perennials where overgrown shrubs were - do I need to improve the soil?

[TunipTheUnconquerable]

Eg with manure or compost?

Is it right that the shrubs will have got rid of all the goodness from the soil? Or will it be nice and fallow and all ready for my new plants?

The soil is quite likely to be 'impoverished' so I'd probably add some soil improver... either well rotted muck or compost. And when you replant add a gp compost to the planting hole.

Thanks, Stopanuary

Yes, perennials will always want as much 'food' as you can give them, as they may be there for many years. But don't get too much rich compost next to the roots. Ideally they probably like a mulch on top, every year or two; but I don't know how many of us get round to that!

Manure may encourage slugs and snails, so watch out for them, and delphiniums or hosta will vanish in no time!

I'm thinking alchemilla and agapanthus and I'm not sure what else but it definitely won't be delphs or hostas - too much trouble with slugs in the old house!

27 buckets of compost
Soil is now improved.