Talk to me about my hideous clayey Alkaline soil!!!

[inmypants]

We moved house last year, it is a relatively new house which had a huge amount of landscaping done I think as oart of the planning permission - however is all shrubs/small trees. Pretty much NO colour ( other than Green!) apart from on a couple of pergolas where there are some lovely climbing roses and clematis.

The people before us clearly did nothing from the point they moved in in summer 07, until we moved in last sept. So ground absolutely solid - loads of weeds, vine weed and other hideousnous.....

So we have spent last 6 months - digging iver soil, clearing weeds, moving shrubs around, creating a kitchen garden, composting area, mulching a wooded area but come the Spring I planted out a number of herbaceous borders with an array of perennials only to find 1/2 of the plants are completely decaying in situ...Did a soil test ( hadnt occurred to me before) and we have off the scale alkaline soil which is clearly contributing.

So what can I plant - I want perennials and loads of colour. Peonia seem to be doing very well - are there any hydrangea that will suit...I am a bit stumped and not that much of a gardening guru to know exactly what to do??

Any ideas or expereince you woud be happy to share?

If it's a new house then the builders will have disturbed the subsoil/clay layer which will be contributing to your problems.

Obviously you won't be able to grow acid loving plants but on alkaline clay soil you should be able to grow a range of perennials. The problems you are experiencing like rotting are probaby due to the structure of the soil rather than the fact it is alkaline. Picture it from the plant's perspective - you're growing in a pot with friable light compost and suddenly you're whacked into a new environment with cold heavy soil - they don't like it. Paraphrasing the words of a truly great gardener - you can't offer plants the worst that your soil has to offer and expect them to put up with it.

I would suggest firstly improving the structure of the soil with as much organic matter as you can get hold of - garden compost, compost from the local council anything which will open up you clay soil and allow air in. Plant into that. Then feed - something like blood fish and bone.

Good luck and HTH