Ivydene Gardens Plants:
Plants for Lime-Free Soils List

Acid soils are typically very fertile, nutrient-rich, and moist with good drainage. The right conditions for some acid-loving plants can be created in containers of ericaceous compost.

Action to assist in Lime-Free (Acid) soil maintenance:-

• Mulch the beds with a 4 inch (100mm) deep layer of Bark Mulch to improve fertility and drainage; preferably in the Autumn in between the existing plants, and top it up each year after that. This will stop the Lime-Free soil from drying out through the action of sun and wind on its surface, and to provide carbon to aid in soil formation and fertility.
• If starting a new lawn or bed, rotovate the wet Lime-Free soil, add the 4 inch layer of Spent Mushroom Compost mulch and rotavate that in. Heel and rake the ground for a new turf (or to be seeded) lawn, before laying or seeding it. Insert plants in new bed, before installing the irrigation system and then applying a 4 inch layer of Bark Mulch on top of it.
• Mow the existing lawn closely before spreading a 1/4 inch (6mm) deep layer of any sand (Kiln dried Top Dressing is easier to spread, both available from Gardenscape in small bags or in 1 tonne bags) over it in late April. Also at the same time; spread 5Kg of Dolodust (Dolomitic Lime), with 2Kg of Maxicrop Seaweed Meal over a 25 square yard or 25 square metre lawn area. This will improve the fertility of the lawn by providing silica, calcium and trace elements (See What is Soil Texture Page and How are chemicals stored and released from soil Page in the Soil Section for further details). Spreading the same amount of Maxicrop Seaweed Meal on the flower/vegetable beds at the same time would also be beneficial.

Lime-Free Soil is Acid Soil Type and can be Peaty Soil.
The garden use list is sorted in the following table under the following height of plant range:-

Below 2 feet in height
Between 2 and 6 feet in height
Above 6 feet in height

1.3 x 2
0.3 x 1.7
1.5 x 0.5
1.25 x 1
1.3 x 3
0.25 x 1
0.7 x 1
0.5 x indefinite
1 x 2
 

Andromeda polifolia 'Alba'
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Arisaema sikokianum
Arundinaria fortunei (Pleioblastus auricomus)
Arundinaria pygmae (Pleioblastus pygmaeus)
Asarum europaeum
Aurinia saxatilis 'Citrinia'
Blechnum penna-marina
Blechnum spicant
 

Evergreen Alpine
Evergreen Alpine
Deciduous Tuber
Bamboo
Bamboo
Evergreen Perennial
Evergreen Alpine
Evergreen Fern
 

5 x 5
3 x 5
6 x 6
5 x 5
4 x 2
 

Abeliophyllum distichum
Acer palmatum 'Dissectum Atropurpueum'
Arctostaphylos patula
Arundinaria auricoma(Pleioblastus auricomus)
Athyrium filix-femina
 

Deciduous Shrub
Deciduous Shrub
Evergreen Shrub
Bamboo
Deciduous Fern
 

30 x 20
30 x 25
30 x 30
12 x 12
20 x 15
20 x 20
23 x 20
25 x 25
20 x 25
11.5 x 2.5
10 x 3
13 x 3
8 x 3
 

Abies koreana
Acer capillipes
Acer griseum
Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum'
Acer palmatum 'Senkaki'
Amelanchier laevis
Amelanchier lamarcki
Arbutus menziesii
Arbutus unedo
Arundinaria japonica
Arundinaria murielae (Fargesia murieliae)
Arundinaria nitida (Syn. Fargesia nitida)
Bocconia cordata
 

Evergreen Conifer
Deciduous Tree
Deciduous Tree
Deciduous Tree
Deciduous Tree
Deciduous Tree
Deciduous Tree
Evergreen Tree
Evergreen Tree
Bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo
Deciduous Rhizome