Thanks All, I've definitely got a layer of thick clay in the back garden that I've dug through when planting and the plants there are fine, I'll dig deeper and go with the chicken poo pellets on the front, and Sunny the bark was big lumps not fine stuff (hindsights's great - I should have put more effort in and taken it off instead of going for the lazy option and diging in!!) As ever thanks for your help. Jude.