How to prepare gravel garden bed to grow Lilly Pillies?

[fadetoblack]

Hi all, 
We recently bought a place and are now looking to grow a Lilly Pilly, or possible bamboo, hedge along the 20mt fence line.
Whilst half the garden appears to be soft soil, the other half is rock-hard gravel (see photos).
How should we approach working with the gravel? Do we need to have it professionally excavated? Are there tools we could hire to do it ourselves. Should we look at just planting everything in large pots instead?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

 
  

[MitchellMc]

Hi @fadetoblack,

Congratulations on your new home! It sounds like an exciting time as you plan your garden and hedge. For the gravel area, I’d suggest starting with an exploratory dig to get a better sense of the depth of the gravel. If the gravel is only a thin top layer, it may have just been laid down by the previous owner, and you could potentially remove it yourself with the right tools. You could try using a shovel, rake, or even a garden hoe to break through the gravel and remove it.

However, if the gravel extends deeper and is more significant in volume, it might be worth considering having a professional excavate the area. Removing the gravel will give your Lilly Pillies or bamboo enough space for their roots to spread and grow properly. If the removal process is too large-scale or labour-intensive, hiring professional help could save you time and effort in the long run.

Alternatively, if you’re keen on planting but don’t want to deal with the gravel, planting in large pots or troughs could be a good solution, especially if you’re looking for more control over the soil quality and drainage. However, for a long-term hedge, removing the gravel would be ideal as to attain a substantial height you'd need to grow in the soil.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[fadetoblack]

Thanks so much Mitchell, 
these tips are great!
To be honest, I don't think the gravel was laid down by the previous own as it's been rented out since it was built, as part of a huge townhouse complex. 
Also, the ground does feel completely rock hard to walk on!
But, I will try your shoveling suggestion after we settle the property next Monday and will report back

Cheers,