There are concrete kickboards below all the fence panels! I meant more towards the start of the slope to make it a bit more "gentle" than it just pooling? Thanks for the plant suggestions I'll have a look at options Really I'm open to anything that may provide a bit of cover and is cat friendly.
It maybe worthwhile considering a split level garden in the future. I was going to suggest leaving the ground barren until next spring, giving the opportunity to see if there are any problems with pooling water. On the other hand, with the conifers gone, you're likely to have a trench that will need filling. With the ground being depleted of nutrients a mixture of topsoil and manure would revive it. You may have a local stable that's willing for you to take manure, or it will have to be bought in bags. Griselinia makes a good hedge, is fast growing and evergreen but it needs trimming regularly to keep it under control.... griselinia images - Search Images Jenny's suggestion of mixed shrubs is a nice idea, that would give you the chance to introduce colour when they flower.
Photinia Red Robin can look great, but it can also be a bit picky about conditions and in a climate or soil that it doesn't like, it fairly quickly deteriorates and looks rubbish. Best to see if there are any in the neighbourhood, and if so whether they look good.
Thanks for the suggestions, I'll have a look at making a start with cutting them soon.. but not looking forward to it in a sense haha Instead of manure would the bags of compost you can buy be suitable also? mixed up with some topsoil that is? I only ask as I don't know of any stables nearby but do know my local gardening center has lots of compost.
A quick google htey do look nice, but I'm also a total newbie to gardening ouside of mowing the lawn (and more recently growing a small patch of grass..) while I'd like to "get into it" in a sense time (and money) are currently better spent elsewhere in the house. So something a bit on the harder to kill / easier to manage side would be ideal
I know I mentioend the slope off towards the back of my garden, just was out doing some other bits and having a look at what order I'd need to fell them to not cause damage elsewhere etc. and hopefully this shows what I mean a bit better.. (and into the trees in question) The two you can see at the back there the neighbour to the rear "trunked" the other day and just dumped it all on the floor as you can see.. But my concern I guess is if when I remove the trees as they suck up / block off the water.. would I be liable at all if their garden then floods? Just did some rough measurements at its longest its ~9ft from edge of grass area to the back fence. and the deepest bit is ~16 inches which Google suggests is ~14% gradient?
There's always something satisfying about destroying something, even if it is hard graft. Bags of manure can be bought but if you prefer to mix compost with topsoil, then I'd advise mixing in a good amount of something like blood, fish and bone granules. Most compost available now is peat free and has very little in the way of nutrients. Order more than you think you need, it's surprising how quickly it disappears into the garden. Look at the prices of builders bags for your needs. In fact people like builders merchants will work out how much you need if you give them the measurements of the area including depth. If your neighbours and your house were there before the conifers were planted I can't see how you would be liable after removing them. Again, it's a question you can ask your neighbours if they've lived there for some while. Do you know what type of soil you have?
@SBcBWIQN manure is great, but it needs to be well rotted manure. Fresh manure can burn the roots of plants. I sometimes use peat free compost if I just want to improve the drainage, and if it's just for that, I will just use the cheapest I can get. But well rotted manure is my go-to for adding nutrients back into the soil. Usually it doesn't even smell. I am not sure about topsoil actually. I like to use it in a mixture for pots but I am not sure how effective it would be in your situation.
Thanks again as always! I'll see whats available locally but if not I'll mix in some bonemeal etc. Regarding age etc, as far as I can tell the houses were built in 1997, I was told the trees were planted ~2010 however I've managed to find them on Google maps in late 2009. But between 2005-2009 it looks like there was nothing at all. Regarding soil type is rocky a soil type? As soon as you start digging you hit rocks etc I'm in the North west of England and from a LandIS it suggests my area as : " Soilscape 17: Slowly permeable seasonally wet acid loamy and clayey soils Texture: Loamy and clayey " Is there an easy way to tell for a newbie mind?
Ahh thanks I'll have to explore my options, was out and about today and saw as shop selling "seaweed enhanced compost" it was advertised as low peat.. Would something like that be an option mixed with bonemeal (hopefully I got the right end of the stick with the suggestion before!) if I can't easily get manure etc?
I can't imagine why you wouldn't be able to get well rotted manure, it's available in pretty much all garden centres, B&Q, B&M... And might even cost a bit less than fancy compost
Bagged manure from GC's is usually sold at a discount for either 3 or 5 bags, so shop around if you have several GC's near enough. It's the best thing to apply to beef up depleted soil.
According to your dates the conifers were probably planted in the winter of 2009/10, that's 13 years after the houses were built. Using that time as a guide would suggest to me they were planted for privacy not because of problems with waterlogging. Sorry, rocky isn't a soil type. But again if that's what you have then the drainage should be fairly good, even though you have a mix of clay/loam. My previous garden was sandy loam on rock bed. A nightmare to keep fed and watered. Clay will squeeze to a solid ball in your hand and be a nightmare to dig in dry conditions. It often cracks when dry. Loam is a mixture of clay, sand and silt and will be slightly crumbly. It holds nutrients and water but drains well too. It's a good mix to have as garden soil.
