Eddy wrote:
Jeff Layman wrote:
It would be useful to know the soil type and approximately where in
the country these plants are required.

Thanks, Jeff. Acid soil, west Shropshire on the Welsh border.

Eddy.

Well, at least with acid soil you've got a good choice. Maybe I'm wrong,
but doesn't Shropshire occasionally get some of the coldest temperatures in
the UK? Do you know what the lowest temps you've had over the past 3 or 4
years?

The suggestions so far (Clematis, Vinca, Holboellia) are climbers or
scramblers. Looking at your picture, I am not sure why we've all only
mentioned these. As you've got acid soil, what about various Rhodos? As
long as you have acid soil, and choose any of the evergreen ones, you could
go from dwarf to medium size, depending on how much cover you want.

If they'll stand the cold, what about Ceanothus (particularly impressus or
thyrsiflorus)? There are various Sarcococca that would also fit the bill.
An added bonus would be scented flowers in winter.

If shrubs aren't what you want, and you are in a very cold winter area, then
I seem to remember a thread on hardy evergreen climbers a few months ago
(try Google groups for this newsgroup). I think the conclusion was that
only Hedera would stand most situations, and even that might suffer with a
severe frost.

--
Jeff
(cut "thetape" to reply)

Jeff Layman wrote:
Thanks, Jeff. Acid soil, west Shropshire on the Welsh border.
Well, at least with acid soil you've got a good choice. Maybe I'm wrong,
but doesn't Shropshire occasionally get some of the coldest temperatures in
the UK? Do you know what the lowest temps you've had over the past 3 or 4
years?

Been here 8 months only & we've had perhaps 6 or 7 nights, here and
there, of -5 or -6 in the last two months.

The suggestions so far (Clematis, Vinca, Holboellia) are climbers or
scramblers. Looking at your picture, I am not sure why we've all only
mentioned these. As you've got acid soil, what about various Rhodos? As
long as you have acid soil, and choose any of the evergreen ones, you could
go from dwarf to medium size, depending on how much cover you want.

Well, I'm certainly to consider rhodos on the other side of the fence,
but on the side in the photo there are only two planting strips. One is
the long channel about 4" wide between the fence and the weatherboard
barrier beneath it, dry, riddled with roots of the hedge on the other
side of the fence, so best used for tumbling things like aubreitia -
except that we've got enough of that elsewhere. The other strip, at the
base of the weatherboard barrier, is actually council property, i.e.
it's the verge between our land and the tarmac of the road, so something
natural would be best in there. (When we arrived it was all thistles
and nettles.)

If they'll stand the cold, what about Ceanothus (particularly impressus or
thyrsiflorus)? There are various Sarcococca that would also fit the bill.
An added bonus would be scented flowers in winter.

Ceanothus: a big big and bushy for the two strips above. Sarcococca
hookeriana looks like it could be a good natural-looking evergreen
groundcover for the roadside strip - except that likes shade.

If shrubs aren't what you want, and you are in a very cold winter area, then
I seem to remember a thread on hardy evergreen climbers a few months ago
(try Google groups for this newsgroup). I think the conclusion was that
only Hedera would stand most situations, and even that might suffer with a
severe frost.

Indeed! Hedera would be fine provided it didn't start clasping itself
to the weatherboard barrier and creeping upwards. . . is there a
sub-species that can resist the temptation? :-)

Eddy.

Eddy wrote:

Well, I'm certainly to consider rhodos on the other side of the fence,
but on the side in the photo there are only two planting strips. One
is the long channel about 4" wide between the fence and the
weatherboard barrier beneath it, dry, riddled with roots of the hedge
on the other side of the fence, so best used for tumbling things like
aubreitia - except that we've got enough of that elsewhere. The
other strip, at the base of the weatherboard barrier, is actually
council property, i.e. it's the verge between our land and the tarmac
of the road, so something natural would be best in there. (When we
arrived it was all thistles and nettles.)

If they'll stand the cold, what about Ceanothus (particularly
impressus or thyrsiflorus)? There are various Sarcococca that would
also fit the bill. An added bonus would be scented flowers in winter.

Ceanothus: a big big and bushy for the two strips above. Sarcococca
hookeriana looks like it could be a good natural-looking evergreen
groundcover for the roadside strip - except that likes shade.

According to the RHS Dictionary of Gardening, "Sarcococca grows best in
partial shade, but will tolerate full sun provided there is sufficient
moisture in the soil". It also days that they flourish in a neutral to
alkaline, humus-rich soil, although frequently tolerating a dry, calcareous
soil. I grow mine in a 12" pot in partial shade, and it does very well.


If shrubs aren't what you want, and you are in a very cold winter
area, then I seem to remember a thread on hardy evergreen climbers a
few months ago (try Google groups for this newsgroup). I think the
conclusion was that only Hedera would stand most situations, and
even that might suffer with a severe frost.

Indeed! Hedera would be fine provided it didn't start clasping itself
to the weatherboard barrier and creeping upwards. . . is there a
sub-species that can resist the temptation? :-)

Not sure, but Hedera comes in so many forms there must be something! What
about an Ilex? Something like the crenata cultivars can be pretty dwarf, or
at least slow growing. Even bog-standard holly can be kept in bounds by
trimming it.

I doubt the council would be too concerned about plants in their space
provided they represented no danger, and they didn't have to do any
maintenance (I'd be more worried about spray drift if they used weedkillers
to keep the pathside growth down).


--
Jeff
(cut "thetape" to reply)

Jeff Layman wrote:
Sarcococca
hookeriana looks like it could be a good natural-looking evergreen
groundcover for the roadside strip - except that likes shade.

According to the RHS Dictionary of Gardening, "Sarcococca grows best in
partial shade, but will tolerate full sun provided there is sufficient
moisture in the soil". It also days that they flourish in a neutral to
alkaline, humus-rich soil, although frequently tolerating a dry, calcareous
soil. I grow mine in a 12" pot in partial shade, and it does very well.

Thanks for this, clarifying Sarcococca. I know the soil is more acid
than alkaline, so it might have a tough time, but if it tolerates dry
soil then it would look good. I think I'll keep this in reserve, should
whatever I choose fail.

Not sure, but Hedera comes in so many forms there must be something! What
about an Ilex? Something like the crenata cultivars can be pretty dwarf, or
at least slow growing. Even bog-standard holly can be kept in bounds by
trimming it.

With something tumbling from the top of the fence, I'ld like as much of
the tumbling to be visible as possible, so the lower plant really needs
to be more of a ground-hugger, rather than only ground-cover.

I doubt the council would be too concerned about plants in their space
provided they represented no danger, and they didn't have to do any
maintenance (I'd be more worried about spray drift if they used weedkillers
to keep the pathside growth down).

Given me a fright there, Jeff! I thought I would be the only one using
glyphosate in and around our front gate! But way out here, in the back
of beyond, lost in the sticks, an absolute spider-web of lanes, I don't
think they bother. And I think there'd be an outcry if they did. The
verges are full of snowdrops at the moment, the honeysuckle is beginning
to leaf, tiny violets appear later, as well as numerous other dainty
little flowers.

Eddy.

On Sat, 8 Mar 2008 18:08:22 +0000, Eddy wrote
(in article ):

Jeff Layman wrote:

snip

I doubt the council would be too concerned about plants in their space
provided they represented no danger, and they didn't have to do any
maintenance (I'd be more worried about spray drift if they used weedkillers
to keep the pathside growth down).

Given me a fright there, Jeff! I thought I would be the only one using
glyphosate in and around our front gate! But way out here, in the back
of beyond, lost in the sticks, an absolute spider-web of lanes, I don't
think they bother. And I think there'd be an outcry if they did. The
verges are full of snowdrops at the moment, the honeysuckle is beginning
to leaf, tiny violets appear later, as well as numerous other dainty
little flowers.

Yeah - ain't Shropshire wonderful! Ssshhh - you don't want everyone else to
find out, do youg



--
Sally in Shropshire, UK
Burne-Jones/William Morris window in Shropshire church with conservation
churchyard:
http://www.whitton-stmarys.org.uk

Sally Thompson wrote:
Yeah - ain't Shropshire wonderful! Ssshhh - you don't want everyone else to
find out, do youg

Hee, hee. No, not particularly, Sally! On the other hand, I know for a
fact 99.9% of people couldn't tolerate the isolation we suffer out here!
And what with the price of petrol going endlessly up, those trips to
the nearest supermarket, 30 mins away, have to be very well planned for,
don't they!

Eddy.

In article ,
Eddy writes:
| Sally Thompson wrote:
| Yeah - ain't Shropshire wonderful! Ssshhh - you don't want everyone else to
| find out, do youg
|
| Hee, hee. No, not particularly, Sally! On the other hand, I know for a
| fact 99.9% of people couldn't tolerate the isolation we suffer out here!
| And what with the price of petrol going endlessly up, those trips to
| the nearest supermarket, 30 mins away, have to be very well planned for,
| don't they!

Isolation? In Shropshire? Needing 30 minutes trips to be "very well
planned"?

The mind boggles!


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Eddy wrote:

Thanks for this, clarifying Sarcococca. I know the soil is more acid
than alkaline, so it might have a tough time, but if it tolerates dry
soil then it would look good. I think I'll keep this in reserve,
should whatever I choose fail.

Not sure, but Hedera comes in so many forms there must be something!
What about an Ilex? Something like the crenata cultivars can be
pretty dwarf, or at least slow growing. Even bog-standard holly can
be kept in bounds by trimming it.

With something tumbling from the top of the fence, I'ld like as much
of the tumbling to be visible as possible, so the lower plant really
needs to be more of a ground-hugger, rather than only ground-cover.

Other thoughts - Cotoneaster dammeri, Daphne laureola, Euonymus fortunei,
Hypericum calycinum, Waldsteinia ternata.

The verges are full of snowdrops at the moment, the
honeysuckle is beginning to leaf, tiny violets appear later, as well
as numerous other dainty little flowers.

Enjoy!

--
Jeff
(cut "thetape" to reply)

Jeff Layman wrote:

Other thoughts - Cotoneaster dammeri, Daphne laureola, Euonymus fortunei,
Hypericum calycinum, Waldsteinia ternata.

Jeff, thanks! The Euonymus fortunei and the Waldsteinia ternata look
just like what's needed. The hypericum calycinum is good too but I know
it well and one of its negatives was the way it starts appearing from
crevices in walls etc. Whether its roots would travel under the
adjacent soil-retaining fence and then begin to appear between the
planks, I'm not sure, but I don't think I'll chance it! Love the
luscious denseness of the Waldsteinia ternata!

Eddy.