Large phormium clearance, Folkestone.

The problem

A back garden in Folkestone had a phormium (New Zealand flax) that had quietly outgrown its welcome. What started as a single clump a few seasons ago had thickened into a dense, fibrous mound — root crown the size of a small armchair, sword-leaves leaning hard into the fence and shading out everything else trying to grow in that corner. The owner wanted the whole thing gone, soil raked back, ready to either reseed the corner as lawn, lay gravel, or plant something less ambitious.

The approach

Phormiums look easier than they are. The leaves come off cleanly enough with secateurs, but the crown is a lattice of woody stems matted into a fibrous root ball that sends thick roots a metre or more in every direction. There is no shortcut — you simply have to dig around it, lever it, cut the deeper roots, and lift.

We ringed the crown with a sharp spade, worked a fork in at the deepest points, and rocked it loose. Once the crown was out, we raked back, pulled the smaller runners by hand, and tidied the surrounding bed so the corner sat flush again. Two trips to the tip followed, with the leaves and crown bagged separately.

The outcome

A bare corner of soil, ready for whatever comes next. No stump, no regrowth points left in the ground, and the fence line clear. Total time on site: around 75 minutes for the dig-out and bagging, plus the two tip runs.

Thinking about something similar?

Overgrown phormiums, cordylines, pampas grass, runaway shrubs — we're happy to come and have a look. One-off clearance jobs run alongside our regular mowing rounds across East Kent, and tip runs are included in the price.

Sandwich Lawnmowing — covering Folkestone, Sandwich, Deal, and the surrounding villages.