I have inherited a garden with a long, deep border, sloping towards the lawn which features a variety of cypress trees up to 20 ft tall (I estimate) - I haven't established the exact varieties. I reckon they were probably planted 12 years or so ago. I do not border a neighbour on that side but an small, unsightly unworked quarry that needs to be screened . The border is NW of the rest of my garden so light is not a problem. The garden is very exposed to winds.

I have 2 questions:
1. I've lost a couple of hefty trunks (most of the trees have more than one) in high winds in the last couple of years - have I just been unfortunate? Or should the trees be 'topped' to avoid this, which may spoil their shape?

2. I have mixed success in establishing other plants in the border. Some skimmias has been successful and a lavatera and there are euonymus and philadelphus and some periwinkle(though much of the periwinkle failed to regenerate after serious weeding) which was present already. We garden on sandy soil and that border is often dry. I want to know if it is worth spending the time and money on soil improvement/irrigation to grow a wider variety of plants in front of the cypresses or must I just stick to drought tolerant plants?

(Originally posted as reply to Lleylandii hedge thread...but I think people had lost interest on that one!...)

Thanks
David

"prologica" wrote in message
news

I have inherited a garden with a long, deep border, sloping towards the
lawn which features a variety of cypress trees up to 20 ft tall (I
estimate) - I haven't established the exact varieties. I reckon they
were probably planted 12 years or so ago. I do not border a neighbour
on that side but an small, unsightly unworked quarry that needs to be
screened . The border is NW of the rest of my garden so light is not a
problem. The garden is very exposed to winds.

I have 2 questions:
1. I've lost a couple of hefty trunks (most of the trees have more than
one) in high winds in the last couple of years - have I just been
unfortunate? Or should the trees be 'topped' to avoid this, which may
spoil their shape?

2. I have mixed success in establishing other plants in the border.
Some skimmias has been successful and a lavatera and there are euonymus
and philadelphus and some periwinkle(though much of the periwinkle
failed to regenerate after serious weeding) which was present already.
We garden on sandy soil and that border is often dry. I want to know if
it is worth spending the time and money on soil improvement/irrigation
to grow a wider variety of plants in front of the cypresses or must I
just stick to drought tolerant plants?

(Originally posted as reply to Lleylandii hedge thread...but I think
people had lost interest on that one!...)

Thanks
David


--
prologica


IMHE ............sandy soils and the last few years have been a nightmare
despite tons of compost
In a border backed by conifers the problem can be even worse

Choisya, philadelphus,weigela, hebes , mahonia japonica ,all seem to survive
OK as do some other shrubs
Delphiniums ,penstemons, and peonies all seem to like the conditions too but
many other plants curl up their toes

On Wed, 17 Nov 2004 10:28:24 +0000, prologica
wrote:


I have inherited a garden with a long, deep border, sloping towards the
lawn which features a variety of cypress trees up to 20 ft tall (I
estimate) - I haven't established the exact varieties. I reckon they
were probably planted 12 years or so ago. I do not border a neighbour
on that side but an small, unsightly unworked quarry that needs to be
screened . The border is NW of the rest of my garden so light is not a
problem. The garden is very exposed to winds.

I have 2 questions:
1. I've lost a couple of hefty trunks (most of the trees have more than
one) in high winds in the last couple of years - have I just been
unfortunate? Or should the trees be 'topped' to avoid this, which may
spoil their shape?

2. I have mixed success in establishing other plants in the border.
Some skimmias has been successful and a lavatera and there are euonymus
and philadelphus and some periwinkle(though much of the periwinkle
failed to regenerate after serious weeding) which was present already.
We garden on sandy soil and that border is often dry. I want to know if
it is worth spending the time and money on soil improvement/irrigation
to grow a wider variety of plants in front of the cypresses or must I
just stick to drought tolerant plants?


Keep you sheltering trees, topping will mess up the shape so just keep
them tidy as best you can. Forget irrrigation or attempts at soil
improvement - in that situation it's a hiding to nothing. Go with the
flow, plant drought tolerant subjects. You have plenty to choose from
including many rather choice things, hot dry borders can be very
rewarding.. Read Beth Chatto's 'Dry Garden' for inspiration.

=================================================

Rod

Weed my email address to reply.
http://website.lineone.net/~rodcraddock/index.html

Thanks guys for your helpful responses. It's good to hear that a small fortune on soil improvement is not required, though i guess some homemade leafmould would not go amiss ..and Beth's book has just been added to my christmas list!

David

prologica wrote in message
news

Rod Wrote:
On Wed, 17 Nov 2004 10:28:24 +0000, prologica
wrote:
-

I have inherited a garden with a long, deep border, sloping towards
the
lawn which features a variety of cypress trees up to 20 ft tall (I
estimate) - I haven't established the exact varieties. I reckon they
were probably planted 12 years or so ago. I do not border a neighbour
on that side but an small, unsightly unworked quarry that needs to be
screened . The border is NW of the rest of my garden so light is not a
problem. The garden is very exposed to winds.

I have 2 questions:
1. I've lost a couple of hefty trunks (most of the trees have more
than
one) in high winds in the last couple of years - have I just been
unfortunate? Or should the trees be 'topped' to avoid this, which may
spoil their shape?

2. I have mixed success in establishing other plants in the border.
Some skimmias has been successful and a lavatera and there are
euonymus
and philadelphus and some periwinkle(though much of the periwinkle
failed to regenerate after serious weeding) which was present already.
We garden on sandy soil and that border is often dry. I want to know
if
it is worth spending the time and money on soil improvement/irrigation
to grow a wider variety of plants in front of the cypresses or must I
just stick to drought tolerant plants?
-

Keep you sheltering trees, topping will mess up the shape so just keep
them tidy as best you can. Forget irrrigation or attempts at soil
improvement - in that situation it's a hiding to nothing. Go with the
flow, plant drought tolerant subjects. You have plenty to choose from
including many rather choice things, hot dry borders can be very
rewarding.. Read Beth Chatto's 'Dry Garden' for inspiration.

=================================================

Rod

Weed my email address to reply.
http://tinyurl.com/26lxm

Thanks guys for your helpful responses. It's good to hear that a small
fortune on soil improvement is not required, though i guess some
homemade leafmould would not go amiss ..and Beth's book has just been
added to my christmas list!

David


--
prologica

Also try and engineer a visit to RHS Garden Hyde Hall - a fairly new and
very droughty garden - bound to give you some good ideas.
Spider