What should I add to the soil here?

Out the front of our house, there are what Google tells me, a row of Portugese Laurels (pic attached) there is also some random plant that which is taller than the rest of the plants in the row ( pic also attached).
The soil looks fairly dry and old and lots of little pebbles, probably from the fact this was a building site.

Should I add some sort of compost, manure or something else to the bed?

Also, any idea what the taller plant may be? I have zoomed in on a leaf (pic attached).

Thanks

 

Your Portuguese laurels look very healthy to me. They can get quite big though so will need to be regularly pruned. Your soil doesn’t look too bad either but any additional organic matter like farmyard manure or soil improver will help to retain moisture. The tall plant looks like an ordinary laurel to me, a bit out of place, spoiling the continuity of your hedging. As it grows and fills out it may obstruct your line of vision when reversing your car. Personally, I’d remove it as they can get quite thuggish.

 

Personally I'd get rid of it all and put a fence up, laurels of any kind are far too often planted in unsuitable places and that is one.
People moan about Leylandii, laurel is the modern equivalent, they get too big and grow too fast for where they are planted.

A quick hedge is very soon a problem hedge in my opinion.

 

Thank you.
If I removed the ordinary laurel, it may leave a gap, should I at least replace it somehow with another Portugese Laurel or should they the gap be closed by the Portugese Laurels in time?

In terms of a soil improve or farmyard manure, should I just add it on top of the existing soil or would I need to incorporate it in by mixing together?
Or would adding mulch to the top of the soil be a better all round approach.

It is a shared divide between ourselves and our neighbour, to be honest I don’t mind it as it at least provides greenery to the front area of the house.
We pay for ground maintenance in the estate so the maintenance guys will typically trim the plant back during the year.

 

If it were my part, I would be careful with a hedge. My neighbour has grown his hedge bigger and bigger and is all nice looking, but only if he used the hedge trimmer. Now, he is not fit for some time and they have to pay someone to do it.
As plantminded said, it may distract you when reversing. I personally wouldn't want to have anything there and just take care of the weeds that will be there soon.

 

The way it's been planted makes me wonder if it was done on purpose.
As if it was intended as to form a small tree, or even if the tall one was planted first and then they decided to put hedging either side.

It's a bit confusing as to why it's there like that.

I'd definitely take the tall one out, if you could get a replacement the same as the rest, all well and good.

I just wonder what your soil is actually like under what is probably just a layer of top soil.

 

If there's a concern that the hedge might be too vigorous, then isn't it unnecessary, possibly unwise, to improve the soil?

 

One of those plant identifier apps is telling me the tall one is a European Spindle Tree. It seems a random place to have put it, if European Spindle Trees grow out as google images tells me.

I would say the soil underneath what is probably just top soil is not great, on the basis it would have been a building site for a housing estate a good while.

I am going to the garden centre today so wanted to see whether it was worthwhile to add compost, soil improver or just mulch bark.

I’m not concerned it is too vigorous but 1/2 posters dont seem to be fans of this particular plant/hedge. I have no issues with it and in its current state it is not out of control and is in the ground 2 years at least.

 

I wouldn’t bother improving the soil as the hedge looks healthy. Portuguese laurel is tough as old boots and as long as the hedge is trimmed it shouldn’t be a problem.

It isn’t a spindle tree. I think it’s a cherry laurel, it may have been included in the bundle of Portuguese laurel when they were supplied or quite likely someone was replacing a plant that had died and didn’t realise they are different species.

 

I would replace the Cherry laurel with another Portuguese laurel @NoviceGardener2023 and then just top your soil with some manure or conditioner as a mulch. The rain and any worms will incorporate it into the soil below. I wouldn't put bark on your border there. Birds will be playing with it in search of worms and you'll be forever sweeping your driveway . I'd keep the hedge, as long as you maintain it carefully, it will be fine. It won't attempt to reach its full potential because of the limited root space. I'd rather see green than a fence at the front of a property. There may also be a restriction about fencing which is why the developer planted a hedge. Personally I would have planted a gentler hedge there like Lonicera nitida, Griselinia or Euonymus.

 

Thanks.
Could I propagate from an existing Portugese Laurel or should I look to purchase one from a garden centre?

 

If your budget allows, I'd try to get a similar sized plant from a garden centre otherwise you'll be waiting a long time for a cutting to catch up and you'll focus on that mismatch every time you use your car (I would anyway ).

 

One other thought. Take a small piece of your Portuguese laurel with you when you go to the garden centre to make sure you buy the same variety - there are different varieties with different leaf stem colours and growth rates.