There are things below plants, did you know? They can cause all sorts of problems, the roots! And as you can’t see them you don’t always know till the toilet stops flushing…

That was our discovery today. Roots from something – maybe the phormium I planted or the holly bush I didn’t – is growing round our drain and has both cracked and blocked it. Joys of home ownership and an enthusiastic gardener? Or was it stuff that has been growing it’s way through for years? We won’t really know but the drain expert’s estimate doubled in fifteen minutes.

The roots are fine and fibrous if that means anything to any experts out there? But sometimes knowing a little is as bad as being an expert. But we have loads of plants trying to take over any space they find so it could be Spiky who seems to be spreading again and popping up in the raised beds.

Maybe next door has the right idea of being zen and following simplistic garden principles? One thing for sure, some of our plants will be uprooted by this work. Ho-hum!