Laurel

Cheryl 6

We have a seven foot laurel hedge in our garden. We need to keep it as we have open fields at the back. However, I think it is taking all of the moisture and goodness from the soil and so finding it hard to find plants that will grow in front of it as nothing seems to thrive. Any suggestions would be gratefully received 

wildcard

is there not a problem with cyanide in laurel that kills off other plants