Janet wrote in
:

much hunting and cogitating, I settled upon a griselinia littoralis
a.k.a. New Zealand Privet (one of the ones you suggested). I saw that
it grows to about the correct height and spread, and loves the sea
air and full sun, yet sheltered from the wind, so it should be happy
here... Also great is the fact that it's evergreen (I think). I'll
follow your sdvice about cutting back.

In mild coastal conditions Griselinea grows a LOT taller than 12
feet,
and fast. At a garden near here, there are trees 40 ft high, and its
a rampant self seeding pest :-) I have dense windbreak hedges of it
which we try to keep to no more than 6ft high and 3 ft wide; which
means cutting off about 2ft of topgrowth every year and cutting back
one side very hard (alternate years). When you trim it, do pick up
every cut twig, because otherwise they will root and romp away like
mad things. Apart from the triffid tendency it's an excellent
windbreak and yes, it is evergreen.

Thank you very much for this advice. Hopefully, I will be spared a worst-
case-scenario, because the soil where I planted one is very poor. Apart
from the compost I put into the hole I dug, the surrounding earth is about
75% crushed rock with a high clay content! I hope that'll make it easier to
control. Trimming 2ft off the top every year sounds easy enough.

Al

Janet Tweedy wrote in news:IRvY29GAo5pNFwX3
@lancedal.demon.co.uk:

Not that you will need to worry but Deer especially Muntjac have made a
beeline for someone's Griselina plants in a large garden locally!


Is it edible then? Hmm.. I must taste it!! Thankfully no deer around these
parts; only horses, and the garden has a tall wall..

Al

In article , AL_n
writes
That looks really beautiful, to my eyes. What a gorgeous colour
combination...

Al


Hmm this year a lot of Photinia seem to have black marks on the leaves
somewhat like the brown spots disfiguring the rhododendrons. Think i
recall seeing somewhere that it's a type of mild disease or condition
but can't remember the exact details. They can look pretty awful then!
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk