Now we have no dog

oooops, sorry, I digressed. But honestly, my OH's family and friends from Darn Sarf Surrey are always talking down Leicestershire - and they haven't got a clue - and were always so impressed when they (... finally condescended to) visit/ed!

How lucky you are to live in a granite house. And of course East Leics is so beautiful in a very different way - mellow ochre limestone and stone/slate/ Stone from Barnack which was also used for many of the most majestic Castles and Cathedrals in England, and Collyweston stone/slate - lovely marbling and matt finish, also graduated from small on ridge to large at bottom - mullion stone windows, etc, as in Rutland and North Northants - or the Cotswolds without the tourists, and villages that still have real shops, and not just tatty souvenirs and tea-shops Love it (and I am Swiss - so used to beautiful landscapes )

Granjura our house is the old village Board School and made of granite and I love watching it change colour in different weathers. I do agree about Leicestershire!!

DH, DD1 and her two of the grandchildren are going to walk through Bradgate, and up to Old John if they are fit enough by then, during next week's half term. I'm doing the driving, mainly so I can go home and get lunch ready!!

As you live near the Outwoods and beautiful bluebell woods, make sure you pick English bluebells and not Spanish, to stop hybridisation.

you know, people who do not know Leicestershire, have no idea how varied and wonderful it can be- Swithland being the only igneous/ volcanic granit area in central England - with lovely villages of granit of every soft hue, pink, blue, green with, of course, Swithland slate roofs, and of course the fabulous Bradgate Park, home of Lay Jane Grey, Queen for 9 days.

Swithland slate is MUCH more expensive, but I'd also say much nicer than Welsh. I love the matt look of Swithland (or Collyweston/Rutland or Cotswolds) slate, and especially the graduated effect- small pieces at the top gradually getting bigger at the bottom. Welsh slate roofs are too shiny and grey and too regular, for my liking. Either would be great used vertically to create partitions for a herb garden though. All types of hellebores will grow well in shade- including Christmas rose - and of course snowdrops and all kind of bulbs would love it too. Keep the sunniest bit for the raised herb bed.

I have found Tarragon grows quite sucessfully in pots. I have had some overwinter, much to my great surprise.

Thank you all for your helpful replies. I think we will add soil improver under the tree and see what happens and put new soil in the proposed herb bed which is currently covered in slate chips and won't be too contaminated.

Granjura we have Swithland slate on the front half of our house but Welsh slate on the back half - can't help wondering how that happened considering we are approx 3 miles from Swithland

ooops apologies. If you want to make a herb bed- build it up as a feature raised bed, with wood, bricks, perhaps in a cart wheel shape with a section for each herb, or as you live near Swithland, beautiful slate- then fill with new soil to about 10 to 15 inches so roots grow in clean soil. Or wait for a year.

granjura I don't think Kitty has any grass.

I'd leave the grass to see if it will recover naturally. And if it does not work, re-seed that area or turf. I would plant perennial and bulbs in the border in Spring- adding fresh soil and covering with wood chips.

Sorry bags, the dog has been 'gone' about 3 weeks but been weeing in the said area for about 13 years. Put like that, it doesn't bear thinking about!

Thank you all for your help.

Anno my parsley is doing very well. As did my MiL's!

I already have lots of herbs in pots. I have a big pot of mint and I have a couple of rosemaries in pots outside the back door together with a bay so I am only thinking of the others (sage, thyme, tarragon, oregano etc) in the bed. The bed is about 2'6" by 6' and part of the steps between the bottom patio and the top patio. But, will they be safe to eat?

We have a small garden, no grass and two patios with six beds, all about the same size rising up in steps between one patio and another. The shady bed is under the crab apple and shaded by a wall covered by a really old ivy with clematis and honey suckle running through it. I'd love to put things like Solomon's Seal there to go with the self-seeded stuff.

I agree with Nellie about mint, lots of lovely varieties, pineapple mint etc, but it can get a bit rampant!

Sage and thyme are nice to grow too.

And putting a good tied bunch of fresh rosemary in the tub whilst your bath is running makes a lovely smell. Supposed for be good for the memory!

The other OWT about parsley is that where it grows successfully the woman of the household wears the trousers - but then we all do that (literally)nowadays anyway.

Dog wee does more damage to grass than poo but grass will grow back very quickly. Is the area in the shade because it is north facing or because it is under a tree? Once you have prepared the area you will need to dig in some blood fish and bone fertilizer to enrich the soil before planting. I wouldn't be in too much of a hurry though. You don't need to plant up a new border until April/May so give the soil a bit longer to recover.

Don't whatever you do let Mint get loose! Imprison it in its own large pot.

Rosemary is worth having its a small shrub, Chives and sage grows well where I am.

It is said about parsley that if you can get it to grow you are in league with the devil. I have found squirrels or pigeons just mow it down.

For the small bed, which you want to make into a herb garden, what about building some sides, getting some new top soil, compost etc and making it a raised bed? Might be able to control it better that way too, some herbs are devils for spreading!

Isn't it just fertiliser?

How long have the areas affected been left 'fallow'?

Thank you nellie. Our garden is not big enough to manage to get rid of any of the contaminated soil but, if necessary, we could bag it up and take it to the tip but I was hoping to avoid that.

How long does it take for doggie poo to disintegrate? Lots of doggy wee and poo might well change the chemical balance and acidity of the soil which could deter plant growth. Can you dig it out of these areas; bury it deep down somwhere else in the garden and replace it with soil from another area?

This is just an idea, I don't know for sure how long these chemical effects might last though. Good luck!