Treating Garden Ready For Grass

[Just-Jane]

I've been clearing the garden at my daughter's new house which doesn't appear to have been tended for quite a few years. We are left with some lovely shrubs including hydrangea, fuscias, roses and lilac. My question is whether it is possible to use a weedkiller to remove all the roots etc left in the ground without killing off the shrubs, and if so what would be a suitable product?

[woofgang]

weedkillers that don't kill everything won't kill roots. You have to wait until the roots shoot and then treat the shoots. Do you know what the roots are from?

[diddlydo]

Please don't poison the soil with weedkiller - dig over the bare earth and remove every bit of root that you can see.

[Chipchopper]

Personally, if you are going to grass the area over, then I wouldn't worry too much about large pernicious weeds, as they shouldn't persist for too long, once you start mowing on a regular bassos.
I had 6-8 foot docks and thistles on one of my, previously neglected lawns and they soon disappeared when the mowing started. I still get a few patches of clover and daisies but I'm happy to leave them for the butterflies and bees.
Hope your efforts pay off with good results!

[spathiphyllum]

Chip is absolutely correct.

[Just-Jane]

Thanks everyone for your helpfuk suggestions. I didn't really want to use anything harsh on the soil so will try to ensure that weeds and shoots are removed as far as possible and then hope for the best next year

[Chipchopper]

Thanks for the vote of confidence and BA Cheers!!