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08-03-2006, 01:50 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening

On 8 Mar 2006 12:42:26 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:

|
|In article ,
|Dave Fawthrop writes:
|| On Wed, 08 Mar 2006 09:17:52 +0000, Broadback wrote:
||
|| |Janet suggested gorse, yes it will grow on poor soil, it is trying to
|| |colonise the poor part of my garden. The problem is that it is very
|| |invasive, and takes over everything, also rabbits love the protection,
|| |and they will ruin most plants and small trees! If you have ever seen
|| |gorse lined slopes you will know what I mean.
||
|| Not gorse, or brambles they are much too invasive.
|
|That is a common myth. Note that gorse dominates only in a few
|conditions, and those are usually when little else will grow.
|In particular, even small trees will shade it out.
|
|Similar remarks are true about brambles, though those are very
|invasive in rich soils where trees are prevented from growing
|and there is no grazing, mowing etc. They will grow in shade,
|but not take over.

In our area there are huge patches of both brambles and gorse. When
established they will shade out absolutely everything. I would never
deliberately introduce them anywhere near my garden.
--
Dave Fawthrop dave hyphenologist co uk
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