On 4/9/06 11:42, in article , "Klara"
wrote:
Our daughter's new house is some 2 feet above the pavement; the front
lawn starts atop a stone retaining wall. There is a strip of flower bed
on top of the wall, and then a lawn (about 4-5 m) to the house. The idea
would be to replace this bed with a sort of hedge, or maybe more of a
border, that would act as a kind of lace curtain. Obviously at night one
would have to draw the curtains, but she would like to be able to leave
them open during the day.
The plants/bushes would need to be evergreen (as they are more necessary
in the winter than in the summer), would have to grow to a height of
some 4-5 feet and be relatively self-supporting, and they need to be
happy in Surrey clay on a very dry slope. And it's a very pretty street,
so they should be more attractive and welcoming than impervious. (Oh,
and daughter is a complete newcomer to gardening, so they can't be too
difficult either.)
I think the way to go might be to have a range of plants that go well
together, as in a border - but I just can't picture what these might be,
and would be grateful for suggestions!
While a mixed hedge is interesting, I wonder if it would be too demanding
for a beginner gardener? The plants might require different treatment, e.g.
pruning and make their start in gardening too complicated just now. As to
suggested plants Griselinia, Privet, Box, Holly, Berberis and possibly
Escallonia and Eleagnus might work. There's a very highly scented Eleagnus
umbellata we have here in our garden and that might work because it seems
that this bed has good drainage. The other thing that could be lovely is
Sarcococca hookeriana var. dignya. It flowers in winter with a lovely scent
and would be enjoyed by your daughter as well as the passers by! Then
there's good old Aucuba and Ceanothus, too. C. Dark Star is a really
stunning colour and would work if they don't get hard frosts. I used to
live in Haslemere and don't remember very hard frosts there but down the
road in Midhurst they got some stinkers!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/