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#1
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Suggestions for plants, please
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! -- Klara, Gatwick basin |
#2
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Suggestions for plants, please
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/ |
#3
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Suggestions for plants, please
"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. Sacha writes 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! Thanks, Sacha - some of those - particularly, I think, the Escallonia, or, even more, the Eleagnus or the Sarcococca, sound just about right! They are in Godalming, which is a mass of microclimates in the hilly bit, where she was before. She is now in the flatter part with a level garden (a rarity around there), but we're not sure yet what it is like. It is certainly dry - our lawn is still mainly green, but theirs is pure yellow. I'll give her your whole list of suggestions, then she can look them up to get an idea what she wants to look at at the nursery. -- Klara, Gatwick basin |
#4
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Suggestions for plants, please
In reply to Klara ) who wrote this in
, I, Marvo, say : 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! If it doesn't want to look too "hedgey", a cotinus cogyria (the spelling is a guess) is a nice looker and after a short while they get very thick, with deep red-black leaves. It could have something else on the house side to give a better curtaining effect, like maybe a Japonica bush (not sure of the variety) which will flower nicely in summer yet be a good cover in winter. I've used these before and they are easy (otherwise they wouldn't work for me), and I have a friend living on Surrey clay too who has a bloomer of a specimen, gets hardly any light at all and is about four feet high. Needs no watering or anything. |
#5
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Suggestions for plants, please
In reply to Klara ) who wrote this in , 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. I, Marvo, say : If it doesn't want to look too "hedgey", a cotinus cogyria (the spelling is a guess) is a nice looker and after a short while they get very thick, with deep red-black leaves. It could have something else on the house side to give a better curtaining effect, like maybe a Japonica bush (not sure of the variety) which will flower nicely in summer yet be a good cover in winter. I've used these before and they are easy (otherwise they wouldn't work for me), and I have a friend living on Surrey clay too who has a bloomer of a specimen, gets hardly any light at all and is about four feet high. Needs no watering or anything. Thanks, Marvo! It might be the right sort of shape, but the whole view from their large bay window is of that hedge, and I would be worried that with those dark leaves cotinus would look like a permanent black cloud on the horizon! -- Klara, Gatwick basin |
#6
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Suggestions for plants, please
In reply to Klara ) who wrote this in
, I, Marvo, say : In reply to Klara ) who wrote this in , 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. I, Marvo, say : If it doesn't want to look too "hedgey", a cotinus cogyria (the spelling is a guess) is a nice looker and after a short while they get very thick, with deep red-black leaves. It could have something else on the house side to give a better curtaining effect, like maybe a Japonica bush (not sure of the variety) which will flower nicely in summer yet be a good cover in winter. I've used these before and they are easy (otherwise they wouldn't work for me), and I have a friend living on Surrey clay too who has a bloomer of a specimen, gets hardly any light at all and is about four feet high. Needs no watering or anything. Thanks, Marvo! It might be the right sort of shape, but the whole view from their large bay window is of that hedge, and I would be worried that with those dark leaves cotinus would look like a permanent black cloud on the horizon! That's the trouble with blokes, so I'm told. They like unusual things like cotinus, cacti, etc. Women like more trad plants which blokes might find boring :-) Is this just me, I wonder? My favourite plants, other than cacti, include fushcia (the bush sort), buddliea, cotinus cog, and most gaudy things or plants with unusual and bright colouring. But then I'm at least partially insane. |
#7
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Suggestions for plants, please
In message , Uncle Marvo
writes That's the trouble with blokes, so I'm told. They like unusual things like cotinus, cacti, etc. Women like more trad plants which blokes might find boring :-) Is this just me, I wonder? My favourite plants, other than cacti, include fushcia (the bush sort), buddliea, cotinus cog, and most gaudy things or plants with unusual and bright colouring. But then I'm at least partially insane. Now isn't that a funny thing? These are probably my least favourite plants ... But I like many other bright plants, though, admittedly, probably not jumbled up. But I also find I now love the plants I was surrounded by most as a child: portulacas, which had been planted in gaps at the back of steps in my grandmother's house, which I called "worm plants" because of their leaves, pelargoniums, tulips, lilacs, acacias, lime trees.... and generally plants that prefer alkaline to acid soil (so, of course, now we live on really acid soil...) Though cacti (my oldest daughter's great love) don't excite me that much - my favourite there are succulents! -- Klara, Gatwick basin |
#8
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Suggestions for plants, please
In message , Klara
writes 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! Apart from them not being reliably evergreen an informal hedge of shrubby Lavateras might do the trick (improving drainage might be advantageous). The same holds for hardy Fuschias (the sort used for hedging in Cornwall and the west of Ireland). Pyracantha and Cotoneaster fall more into the impervious category, and still aren't reliably evergreen. -- Stewart Robert Hinsley |
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