Oh I have done so well I have cleared out the hedgerow and cut back 10 yrs of spiky hedge. But it's only caused another PROBLEM

[Cappuccino]

what do you put at the bottom of hedgerows?

my lawn stops and then there is a dirty great length of soil in the bleddy shade

screaming 'weeds! weeds! impregnate me with your dandeliony deep-rootedness'

what to do, what to do?

put in some flower beds???

I do wonder about that

but don't know what plants would do well in shade

or would mind losing bits of themselves in dh's overenthusiastic mowing

the lawn cuttings. The birds will throw it everywhere and weeds will still grow in it - but fewer of them and it feeds the hedgerow.

no, that's not going to work. dh has asthma and hayfever and grass cuttings have to be treated like anthrax virus

grass seed?

Comfrey - I have comfrey growing down the hedge side of our garden. It spreads like mad, great ground cover, you can use it to make liquid fertiliser for other plants. Have three different types - I could post you a box full if you'd like cuttings

ooh comfrey sounds good

trinity I did think about extra grass but the soil under the hedge is higher so it would look odd and slopey

in my old garden I had flowers up the side of the hedge but they would lean out into the lawn in an attempt to get some sun and would end up growing at a 45 degree angle on reeeeeee-heeeely long stalks

"Comfreywww.allotment.org.uk/vegetables_and_herbs/assets/comfrey.PDF"

Ferns & hostas like the shade..though they might find under the hedge a bit dry.
I find that crocosmia/montbretia (grows from corms and spreads happily, 18" long spikey blades with orange or red flowers this time of year) will grow pretty much anywhere and will take an occasional beating from the lawn mower,though it isnt evergreen.
Rose of Sharon is low growing (6in), evergreen with yellow flowers that will grow in sun or shade wet or dry...but it does spread like wildfire...wont allow the dandelions a inch of space though!
just a few suggestions
good luck!

Message withdrawn

god I love crocosmia

will def try that

(am looking at comfrey link mega and pleased to hear that it restrains the 'spitting of blood' )

god I love crocosmia

will def try that

(am looking at comfrey link mega and pleased to hear that it restrains the 'spitting of blood' )

ooh more good ideas pruners

www.nichegardens.com/catalog/item.php?id=1562

Asarum splendens beautiful shade loving ground cover. images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=members.aol.com/camforest/page4/Asarum_splendens.jpg &imgrefurl=members.aol.com/camforest/page4/&h=480&w=640&sz=88&hl=en&start=3&tbnid=M80n-p44Xwj WBM:&tbnh=103&tbnw=137&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dshade%2Bloving%2Bground%2Bcover%26gbv%3D2%26svnum%3D10%26h l%3Den

Thyme or Cammomile makes lovely ground cover - gorgeous fragrance too