Advice please for balcony plants.
Hi-
this is my first visit to uk.rec.gardening, so hello to you all. I am about to sell my London flat and am thinking of getting some plants for the balcony to make it look more appealing to prospective buyers (the balcony has just been redecorated) and also to provide some privacy for the windows into my flat and the balcony door (glass-paneled). It is very narrow and runs along the width of the building front on the top (4th) floor with a door into my flat at one end. I already have 4 big stone flower-troughs which I have positioned evenly along the front balcony wall and my dad (who loves gardening) has transplanted some plants from his garden which are apparently nice pink flowers (but nothing at the moment...). Anyway, my questions are about the choice of plants for the 2 ends of the balcony, and maybe advice of where to buy or locate in central London. Basically at the far left and right I want some kind of bushy shrub, not necessarily a flower, but something that is good at concealing. I already have 2 cubical flower pots about 12" a side which I hope will be big enough for the shrubs. What I am looking for is something quite squat, ie little stem/trunk before the branches and also quite dense leaves for privacy. I guess Ideally I'm thinking of something almost like an 'afro' haircut ;), maybe like a potted orange tree but without the trunk. Secondly, at the anterior left and right corners of the balcony I have some large cast iron 'brackets' which I intend to attach to the balcony railings with wire for decoration(obviously on the inside so there is no possibility of it falling off the building). I would like some kind of trailery/creepery plant which can be housed in a smallish pot (say 10" high, 10" diameter) which I could trail through the metal bracket decorations. Again, I think it would look nice, but also the brackets and the plant should provide some privacy from the corners. My problem is my dad is currently abroad and unavailable to ask his advice, and I know practically nothing about gardening. Could someone please make some suggestions for my 2 plants. Also, I intend to put my flat on the market as soon as I have finished doing essential repairs/decoration (maybe a month or so), so would really like to buy adult plants rather than young ones, so I can just put them in place and water. I'm based in Central London. Could anyone suggest a good place to go. Alternatively, if any of you would like to make a private sale with me, please email me at . I'm not particularly interested in any expensive rare plants though - as I have repeated endlessly, I would like them primarily to look nice and give visual privacy. Thanks for any advice |
Advice please for balcony plants.
First thing I would ask is which way the flat faces. This is important for
shade considerations. Some pants love full sun, others semi shade, and some can only tolerate evening sunshine. Also what kind of fertiliser will you use, buy a soil testing kit, or are you just using compost and growmore for growth and feed. Height is obviously important as a large plant can be used as a backdrop while others can be small and delicate, Do you want flowers or ferns and greenery for background colour. For summer growth you cannot beat bedding plants available form any garden centre,these are small plugs of plants with minimal roots easy to plant right away and be grown on annually. these however generally die after the summer season. Go for perennials which mean they bloom and flower every year. You could also go for some shrubs which are flowering although these can come in various sizes from 1 metre to 5 metres high. Go for forsythia = a lovely yellow colour which blooms every year, ceanothus known as Californian lilac which flowers twice a year and is evergreen, and some flowering currants or ribes, or pieris which are multi coloured foliage also known as flaming flowers of the forest. Hope this helps. Angela |
Advice please for balcony plants.
In article 0,
Victoria Clare wrote: (Jim) wrote in . com: Anyway, my questions are about the choice of plants for the 2 ends of the balcony, and maybe advice of where to buy or locate in central London. Basically at the far left and right I want some kind of bushy shrub, not necessarily a flower, but something that is good at concealing. I already have 2 cubical flower pots about 12" a side which I hope will be big enough for the shrubs. What I am looking for is something quite squat, ie little stem/trunk before the branches and also quite dense leaves for privacy. I guess Ideally I'm thinking of something almost like an 'afro' haircut ;), maybe like a potted orange tree but without the trunk. I think you want a box bush. Exactly like a green afro on a short stalk, very easy to care for, and very stylish. buxus sempervirens or Buxus sempervirens "Suffruticosa" are the latin names to look for. Certainly possible, but what about bay? It is nearly as hardy as box, equally prunable, equally decorative, and more useful! Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Advice please for balcony plants.
Victoria Clare wrote in message . 240.10...
I think you want a box bush. Exactly like a green afro on a short stalk, very easy to care for, and very stylish. buxus sempervirens or Buxus sempervirens "Suffruticosa" are the latin names to look for. Buckingham Nurseries have 20-30cm ones for a tenner: http://www.buckingham-nurseries.co.u...uct_38767.html or http://www.crocus.co.uk/ have slightly bigger ones if you have a bit more cash to spare. They grow slowly: thus the price. If the balcony is sunny, a nice bushy lavender might be good. Lonicera Nitida looks pretty much like box, and is cheaper, but better to buy from a garden centre as they don't grow so tidily, and a mail order one might not have the 'ball' effect you want. Victoria clare Thank you Victoria. I looked at the Buckingham Nurseries page and yes, a green balloon or 'Buxus sempervirens' is just the sort of plant I am looking for, however I note that it has a cross against the 'exposed/windy' criterion. Do you think it would survive at the edge of a 4th floor balcony in Central London? it does get quite windy up here. I also looked at the crocus.co.uk site, but have not yet managed to locate the maturer green balloon bushes that you talked about. Do you have a link? The balcony is south facing, so is sunny on occasion ;) I would consider lavender - do you know a place I could get mature lavender? I'm not particularly bothered by the 'ball effect' : more that I thought a ball would be good at concealing. Maybe Lonicera Nitida would suffice. Do you know any places that sell that (maturely) ? Finally, any suggestions on the traling plant? I was even thinking ivy might be quite good... it will be surrounded on one side by flowers and the other by whatever shrub I buy... can you buy mature fronds of ivy (as opposed to having to grow from scratch... remember, my aim is to get something looking nice asap). Sorry if I've fired so many questions at you - I just appreciate advice from someone who obviously knows something about gardening. Regards. Jim |
Advice please for balcony plants.
(Jim) wrote in
om: I looked at the Buckingham Nurseries page and yes, a green balloon or 'Buxus sempervirens' is just the sort of plant I am looking for, however I note that it has a cross against the 'exposed/windy' criterion. Do you think it would survive at the edge of a 4th floor balcony in Central London? it does get quite windy up here. I also looked at the crocus.co.uk site, but have not yet managed to locate the maturer green balloon bushes that you talked about. Do you have a link? http://www.crocus.co.uk/findplant/results/? ContentType=Plant_Card&ClassID=7561&CategoryID=19 - or choose 'plant search' and then 'topiary'. I have 4 'ball' buxus sempervirens in pots, and they seem to survive all the breezes I can throw at them: in fact I'd have said they were almost unkillable, but YMMV. Of course they are quite round and dense, so they might be susceptible to blowing over? Crocus also sell lavenders, but I would want to check how big the plants are. Any garden centre or plant shop is also likely to have lavenders, though I'm afraid I can't suggest anywhere in London. (I'm in Cornwall). Oh, hang on a sec, what about these people? http://www.capitalgardens.co.uk/acat...n_Centres.html I know nothing of them but the website though. Finally, any suggestions on the traling plant? I was even thinking ivy might be quite good... it will be surrounded on one side by flowers and the other by whatever shrub I buy... can you buy mature fronds of ivy (as opposed to having to grow from scratch... remember, my aim is to get something looking nice asap). Climber is trickier because of the wind problem. (climbers long stems are likely to get snapped or battered about... Ivy is pretty tough, but anything you buy as a mature plant is going to have more problems than something bought young that develops in that environment. I'm not sure what to suggest - maybe someone else can come up with something? Victoria |
Advice please for balcony plants.
Victoria-
thanks for all your help and advice. I have one more question about the 'Buxus sempervirens' (they do seem to be what I was thinking of): the crocus site states that they need partial shade. Wind problems aside (I can secure the pot if I think necessary), I am planning to put these on a London south-facing balcony. Some would say that that is partial shade enough, but do you think they would survive south-facing? Finally, any suggestions on the traling plant? I was even thinking ivy might be quite good... it will be surrounded on one side by flowers and the other by whatever shrub I buy... can you buy mature fronds of ivy (as opposed to having to grow from scratch... remember, my aim is to get something looking nice asap). Climber is trickier because of the wind problem. (climbers long stems are likely to get snapped or battered about... Ivy is pretty tough, but anything you buy as a mature plant is going to have more problems than something bought young that develops in that environment. Well, I was planning to wrap them around the metal brackets (which are quite ornate), so hopefully that would protect them somewhat. Also, they will be sited right between (hopefully) a buxus sempervirens and a large stone flower trough, so wind should be somewhat subdued there. Ivy would be fine for the climber. Can you suggest any ivy variants that look nice (maybe variegated leaves or interesting colour...) ? Also, can you buy mature ivy? I'm not sure what to suggest - maybe someone else can come up with something? Anyone else? Please share your advice if you have an opinion :) Thanks Victoria |
Advice please for balcony plants.
In article ,
Jim wrote: thanks for all your help and advice. I have one more question about the 'Buxus sempervirens' (they do seem to be what I was thinking of): the crocus site states that they need partial shade. Wind problems aside (I can secure the pot if I think necessary), I am planning to put these on a London south-facing balcony. Some would say that that is partial shade enough, but do you think they would survive south-facing? Eh? I can assure you that box does NOT need partial shade, at least not in this gloomy country! My Sunset (USA) book confirms that the recommendation for partial shade is for the hot summer areas of the USA, where the sun is a LOT less anaemic than here! But, even then, it doesn't mind the sun as such, and the problem is that it dislikes its roots getting hot and dry. For a south facing balcony, bay (Laurus nobilis) is a bit safer, on the grounds that it doesn't mind its roots getting hot and dry as much. Don't let it dessicate, but otherwise it is fine. Ivy would be fine for the climber. Can you suggest any ivy variants that look nice (maybe variegated leaves or interesting colour...) ? Also, can you buy mature ivy? You really don't want to bother. Give it some reasonable conditions, and it will ramp away. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Advice please for balcony plants.
" I'm based in Central London. Could anyone suggest a good place to go. Alternatively, if any of you would like to make a private sale with me, please email me at . I'm not particularly interested in any expensive rare plants though - as I have repeated endlessly, I would like them primarily to look nice and give visual privacy. Thanks for any advice Jim A good place to check out is Columbia Road Market in Hackney on Sunday mornings. Otherwise, if you have transport, to go out to Crewes Hill area in Enfield where there are a whole variety of Nursery/Garden Centres. Another very good Nursery I'd highly recommend is Clockhouse on Forty Hill opposite Forty Hall. Natalie |
Advice please for balcony plants.
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