Top soil hid horrors, I had dug small holes and the soil had seemed good, until I had to dig deep for the roses. 6 on each side of the house front, first 6 went in well, into individual beds of rotted manure compost, bonemeal and fungi. Number 7 went in well and then I hit a nightmare, I hit sand, ok I thought, I will take this sand out but the pit became bigger and bigger and deep and I uncovered cement and lumps of render and not a single earthworm. Poisoned ground. I eventually reached some sort of soil base, albeit poor and my back was weary with all that carrying of bucket after bucket to the nearby builders dump. Luckily I had already been given permission to take top soil, so I did, several barrows full
The other 5 roses went in, next day I went to buy horse compost, sedge peat and composted bark. I have to get those worms back and I put 8 bags on as mulch with composted bark on top. Then I watered and crossed my fingers and I have watered religiously every day and my roses are still alive and seem to be doing well. Three hours turned into 8 hours that day. The ground is not waterlogged underneath and I think will survive, as long as the worms come back to help till the soil. I had 6 Olivia rose (pink) and 6 of Susan Williams Ellis (white) and I have mixed them and given the two sides a short lavender border of lavender little lady
I was very disappointed when I found that poisonous underground dump. My roses on the allotment are looking spectacular whitewave, covered in buds and the pink rose in the centre is superb, just like in a picture book. They seem to thrive in prolonged hot weather