Gardening on Lime and Chalk (Wisley Handbooks) Book

Gardening on lime and chalk is much less limiting than is sometimes suggested. Given the right choice of plant and proper cultivation, the chalk garden offers a wide variety of flower and foliage the year round. Chalk gives a warm, well-drained soil, poor in plant foods, usually less than 12" deep and easy to work but easily damaged when wet. In this revised handbook the author shows how to test the soil fo alkalinity and how to improve it by working in added organic matter from various suggested sources. Successful planting is then a simple matter of avoiding the listed calcifuges and ensuring the soil is kept in healthy condition. The author recommends trees suitable for chalky soils, to give the garden its anchoring, height and form. Shrubs, climbers and wall plants for every season are suggested, and notes on herbaceous perennials, bulbs and vegetables complete this guide.Read More