On Wed, 18 Jun 2003 22:41:02 GMT, "Litl Fish"
wrote:

Alternative plants for hedges I've found have included Hawthorn (Crataegus
Monogyna), which is a nice prickly plant (and no, my dog won't be going
anywhere near the front) and then also the Mexican White Blossom).

Any thoughts on the merits of these plants??

Check with your local council, because Hawthorn might be a declared
noxious weed.

Tish

Litl Fish wrote:

Hi Bluedog, we're in Melbourne, with a front facing the West. I've been
researching bouganvillea quite extensively, and have discovered that their
root system is on the fragile side, according to a number of web sites I've
visited. I also noticed this when I first planted a few plants around our
garden, when at first the plants suffered a bit of shock, but then after
that just shot up and grew (other than the one my dog ate, she loves chewing
wood or anything that looks like a dead plant, or even if there's a
possibility it might die).

Alternative plants for hedges I've found have included Hawthorn (Crataegus
Monogyna), which is a nice prickly plant (and no, my dog won't be going
anywhere near the front) and then also the Mexican White Blossom).

Any thoughts on the merits of these plants??


Last year I pulled out a bougainvillaea from our garden (I
still have the scars to prove it). I'm still getting bits
coming up from the roots that were left in. While some may
consider them fragile ours grew so prolifically that I got
sick of the medical attention that followed pruning (I
didn't plant it, it was there when we moved in). So long as
you've got good drainage and some kind of support they'll
grow like a weed and don't need a lot of water.

If you get desperate plant an Opuntia (prickly pear family)
screen? They'll regret the day they tried to clamber through
that. :-)

On Sat, 14 Jun 2003 01:13:13 GMT, "Litl Fish"
wrote:

snip........


Are there any "tropical" hedges that grow fast and thick? (We're trying to
establish a semi-tropical/semi-arid garden!) And then what is the best way
to buy them, tubestock, seeds, or what?

Thanking you in advance for your advice......

Casey

Hi
I read in the latest 'Phoenix' catalogue of a dense, thorned acacia
which might meet your requirements
Barrie

Whilst rampantly masturbating, on Sun, 06 Jul 2003
17:54:04 +1000,
wrote:

On Sat, 14 Jun 2003 01:13:13 GMT, "Litl Fish"
wrote:

snip........


Are there any "tropical" hedges that grow fast and thick? (We're trying to
establish a semi-tropical/semi-arid garden!) And then what is the best way
to buy them, tubestock, seeds, or what?

Thanking you in advance for your advice......

Casey

Hi
I read in the latest 'Phoenix' catalogue of a dense, thorned acacia
which might meet your requirements
Barrie
Habib.

On Sat, 14 Jun 2003 10:35:22 +0800, "Elegant Embroidery"
wrote:

if you can trim Bouganvillia into hedge that would be perfect!
"Litl Fish" wrote in message
...
Hi folks,

After having various items stolen from our front yard, the final straw was
when 2 beautiful Washington Cotton palms were dug up one night. We'd
already
gotten sick of having the local drug dealer's clients using our tap to
fill
up their syringes - even after relocating the tap from the front of the
garden to the front of the house.-Now, don't get me wrong, if someone
wants
to fill a container of water for an overheated car, that's fine, it's not
the water that's at issue ...... I just don't like junkies or thieves
coming
up my driveway.

Now we've decided to put up some kind of border. A fence seemed the
obvious
solution, although it would look ugly on top of a 1.2M high double brick
retaining wall. Our local friendly Council wants $400 to "consider a
request
for dispensation" to consider allowing a higher fence. Add that to the
$2500
cost of the fence and gates, but ONLY if the Council deems to grant your
request. Then they will only CONSIDER giving you permission, it's not a
given. No permission, no fence, and you can forget your $400 too. (Never
mind that the junkies and thieves don't need anybody's permission to help
themselves to what they want. OK, got that off my chest, and don't even
mention electricified razor wire fences!)

Now a hedge starts to look more attractive. The cost is cheaper, I don't
need Council permission, it looks FAR better, and I can stick gates where
required at the ends inside our property. Decision made, now I seek your
helpful and expert advice please.

What would be an ideal intruder stopper, but would look nice? I'd just
like
some ideas on some radical hedges, but nothing higher than about 1.5m, and
we don't like conifers. The hedge would be placed in well-drained soil
right
above the weed mat covered drainage screenings (with aggy pipes inside).
The
soil inside of the retaining walls and below the surface is clay, but the
hedge would be sitting on well drained soil/compost. (Although I've bought
a
pH tester, I haven't used it yet!)

Are there any "tropical" hedges that grow fast and thick? (We're trying to
establish a semi-tropical/semi-arid garden!) And then what is the best way
to buy them, tubestock, seeds, or what?

Thanking you in advance for your advice......

Casey

Last week I posted the suggestion that there was a wattle that might meet your requirements
I forgot to put a name to it. Silly Me. Sorry
Acacia paradoxa. Available from Phoenix, PO Box 207, Snug,Tasmania
Phome 03 6267 9663