Ideas to improve this area please

Hi Everyone,

I've got this long row of trees, larches I think, at the front of the house. They have to stay as only in my dreams can I afford to have them chopped down and anyways they are full of goldcrests so they have to stay put. If I had the money I think I'd buy a few ton of wood chip and cover the lot but to be honest if I had that amount of money to throw around I be adding to my day lily and iris collections .

Take it from me the area looks much better in the picture than in real life. Any suggestions to improve the area that won't cost a packet are extremely welcome. The only thing that seems to flourish is couch grass and even that struggles. At the far end near the new muck heap a holly and a spiraea have managed to selfseed and grow. Needless to say it is a dry as dust.
Thanks

 

I'd fill it with ferns personally.

 

Thanks - that's something I've never grown before, well not intentionally - they are all around the garden but in damp places not dry. The bracken grows well but I spend all my time pulling that out!

 

Difficult one, dry with shade

Stonecrop?

 

Stonecrop is growing at one end but only on the wall and not making much headway .

 

Truffles?

 

Truffles would be a nice compliment to the panther mushrooms that are growing in abundance just have to make sure I don't get them confused. I was thinking more above ground and I'm pretty sure I'm too far north for truffles to survive. More edibles would be good - I see the parasol mushrooms at the top of the garden are popping up but HUGE orange slugs beat me to the first ones. Oh dear they had to go flying into the field next door.

 

There are litterally thousands of fern species.
Am sure there would be something suitable?

 

My ferns grow in dry shade under an elder quite happily in the summer.