Planting over stormwater drain and close to utilities

[girlcalledmolly]

Hi Happy new year everyone

I have a very narrow 200m2 block which is only about 8m across. I am needing to plant my front garden which has a very narrow bed (2.5m W by 6m D). A stormwater drain runs from the house to the street about 40 cm from the fence! I really want tallish trees to cover the 2.1 m fence but I would be planting directly over the stormwater drain. Some capital pears or viburnum odoratissum were two options I would love to plant. Electricity and gas also run under that bed.

Could you tell me please what options I may have for planting out this very tricky bed? The bed had jade trees and Birds of Paradise which I have also cleared for planting. I was planning to keep the box plants along the front. I'm keen to plant in late summer/early autumn. 

I would like as fast growing as I am able to have.

Thanks in advance.

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @girlcalledmolly. It's fantastic to have you join us and many thanks for your question about planting near stormwater drains.

You might like to check out this previous discussion: Planting over stormwater drain by @bronelchristian. It is not recommended to plant closer than 10m from a stormwater pipe, any closer, and you should also install Whites 600mm x 5m Recycled Garden Root Barrier. This needs to be installed from the surface and down to at least 60cm deep between the plant and the pipework.

Make sure you stick away from anything with a vigorous root system or that tenaciously searches out water sources like camphor laurel, fig trees, poplars, rubber plants, willows, Australian white cedar, casuarinas, coral trees, elms, large gum trees, liquidambar, jacaranda, Illawarra flame trees, pine trees and pepper trees.

Have you considered installing raised garden beds hard up against and along the fence? Their elevation will create interest to the eye, you won't need to purchase as mature trees, and their roots won't be able to damage the pipes. You can then plant out in front of them with some less invasive plants/potted colour.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell