Why we should never plant shrubs (or trees, or even climbers) close to walls

 

 

I get this a lot: I'm either asked to plant something right up against a wall, or I'm asked to find out why a plant, which has been planted right up against a wall, is failing to thrive.

So what's wrong with planting against a wall, then?

Firstly, foundations: when you go to dig the planting hole, you might find that the foundations extend a fair way sideways, underground. This applies to planting next to a drive, or even a decorative edging, as well: the edges of the drive don't stop dead where they appear to: they have concrete foundations which slope sideways under your lawn or flower bed, meaning that anything planted close to the edge won't have the proper depth of soil.

 

That's a small run of granite blocks, to demarcate the shingle drive from the bed, and my daisy grubber is pushed vertically into the soil at the point where the concrete "foundation" edging stops.

Here it is from above...

 

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