I have a steeply sloping bed, close to the north west
corner of the house. It slopes downwards towards the
house and receives little or or sunshine being shaded
by the house.

It was planted with heathers some 18 years ago, and
they have now gone very straggly and where they've
been cut back off the wall/path unsightly.

SWMBO has decided that they need replacing, but before
doing this I was wondering if there is any other plant
that would provide ground cover for this very shady,
cold slope. It is too steep to work regularly or for
lawn, and the lawn above it is more of a moss bed than
a grass bed!

Thanks for any ideas

--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales

On 2013-02-02 17:07:27 +0000, Roger Tonkin said:

I have a steeply sloping bed, close to the north west
corner of the house. It slopes downwards towards the
house and receives little or or sunshine being shaded
by the house.

It was planted with heathers some 18 years ago, and
they have now gone very straggly and where they've
been cut back off the wall/path unsightly.

SWMBO has decided that they need replacing, but before
doing this I was wondering if there is any other plant
that would provide ground cover for this very shady,
cold slope. It is too steep to work regularly or for
lawn, and the lawn above it is more of a moss bed than
a grass bed!

Thanks for any ideas

It might be worth your while to have a look through the hardy
Geraniums. And also take a look at Hypericum calycinum, as well as the
Vincas.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

On Sat, 2 Feb 2013 17:07:27 -0000, Roger Tonkin
wrote:

I have a steeply sloping bed, close to the north west
corner of the house. It slopes downwards towards the
house and receives little or or sunshine being shaded
by the house.

It was planted with heathers some 18 years ago, and
they have now gone very straggly and where they've
been cut back off the wall/path unsightly.

SWMBO has decided that they need replacing, but before
doing this I was wondering if there is any other plant
that would provide ground cover for this very shady,
cold slope. It is too steep to work regularly or for
lawn, and the lawn above it is more of a moss bed than
a grass bed!

Thanks for any ideas

I once rejuvenated an old heather bed by simply lifting the plants and
burying them deeper. Last I heard was that some 5 years later they
were still growing and flowering happily.

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling from the East End of Swansea Bay where sometimes
it's raining and sometimes it's not.

On 02/02/2013 17:07, Roger Tonkin wrote:
I have a steeply sloping bed, close to the north west
corner of the house. It slopes downwards towards the
house and receives little or or sunshine being shaded
by the house.

It was planted with heathers some 18 years ago, and
they have now gone very straggly and where they've
been cut back off the wall/path unsightly.

SWMBO has decided that they need replacing, but before
doing this I was wondering if there is any other plant
that would provide ground cover for this very shady,
cold slope. It is too steep to work regularly or for
lawn, and the lawn above it is more of a moss bed than
a grass bed!

Thanks for any ideas

If they have done 18 years and you liked then then why change?

In article danqg891rp3hvpdt4rthvtve3f4qhfdbgk@
4ax.com, lid says...

I once rejuvenated an old heather bed by simply lifting the plants and
burying them deeper. Last I heard was that some 5 years later they
were still growing and flowering happily.


These are abot 24-30inches high and the though of
trying to dig them in even half that depth worries me!

--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales

In article ,
says...

I have a steeply sloping bed, close to the north west
corner of the house. It slopes downwards towards the
house and receives little or or sunshine being shaded
by the house.

It was planted with heathers some 18 years ago, and
they have now gone very straggly and where they've
been cut back off the wall/path unsightly.

SWMBO has decided that they need replacing, but before
doing this I was wondering if there is any other plant
that would provide ground cover for this very shady,
cold slope. It is too steep to work regularly or for
lawn, and the lawn above it is more of a moss bed than
a grass bed!

Ideal for a fabulous collection of ferns. You could underplant with
snowdrops.

Janet

On 02/02/2013 17:07, Roger Tonkin wrote:
I have a steeply sloping bed, close to the north west
corner of the house. It slopes downwards towards the
house and receives little or or sunshine being shaded
by the house.

It was planted with heathers some 18 years ago, and
they have now gone very straggly and where they've
been cut back off the wall/path unsightly.

SWMBO has decided that they need replacing, but before
doing this I was wondering if there is any other plant
that would provide ground cover for this very shady,
cold slope. It is too steep to work regularly or for
lawn, and the lawn above it is more of a moss bed than
a grass bed!

Thanks for any ideas




Have you thought of covering the top half of it with something like
Juniperus squamata 'Blue Carpet'? It would be hardy enough and easy to
trim once a year if needed. Below that you could try any number of
flowering groundcover plants, including the Hypericum calycinum Sacha
mentioned; periwinkle, epimedium. Slightly taller, but often used as
groundcover is Bergennia. It has lovely, glossy leathery leaves and
pink or white flowers. I have seen an entire bank covered in this and
it looked lovely. You could also fill in with spring bulbs like
snowdrops, dwarf daffodils and muscari. It may be too shady for crocus,
but you could try a few of the cheaper sun-loving bulbs just to see how
they perform.

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

On 04/02/2013 16:29, Spider wrote:
On 02/02/2013 17:07, Roger Tonkin wrote:
I have a steeply sloping bed, close to the north west
corner of the house. It slopes downwards towards the
house and receives little or or sunshine being shaded
by the house.

It was planted with heathers some 18 years ago, and
they have now gone very straggly and where they've
been cut back off the wall/path unsightly.

SWMBO has decided that they need replacing, but before
doing this I was wondering if there is any other plant
that would provide ground cover for this very shady,
cold slope. It is too steep to work regularly or for
lawn, and the lawn above it is more of a moss bed than
a grass bed!

Thanks for any ideas




Have you thought of covering the top half of it with something like
Juniperus squamata 'Blue Carpet'? It would be hardy enough and easy to
trim once a year if needed. Below that you could try any number of
flowering groundcover plants, including the Hypericum calycinum Sacha
mentioned; periwinkle, epimedium. Slightly taller, but often used as
groundcover is Bergennia. It has lovely, glossy leathery leaves and
pink or white flowers. I have seen an entire bank covered in this and
it looked lovely. You could also fill in with spring bulbs like
snowdrops, dwarf daffodils and muscari. It may be too shady for crocus,
but you could try a few of the cheaper sun-loving bulbs just to see how
they perform.


If you do try Juniperus DO NOT trim it, give it a light pruning if
required but clipping can spoil its looks for a long time.

On 04/02/2013 17:49, David Hill wrote:
On 04/02/2013 16:29, Spider wrote:
On 02/02/2013 17:07, Roger Tonkin wrote:
I have a steeply sloping bed, close to the north west
corner of the house. It slopes downwards towards the
house and receives little or or sunshine being shaded
by the house.

It was planted with heathers some 18 years ago, and
they have now gone very straggly and where they've
been cut back off the wall/path unsightly.

SWMBO has decided that they need replacing, but before
doing this I was wondering if there is any other plant
that would provide ground cover for this very shady,
cold slope. It is too steep to work regularly or for
lawn, and the lawn above it is more of a moss bed than
a grass bed!

Thanks for any ideas




Have you thought of covering the top half of it with something like
Juniperus squamata 'Blue Carpet'? It would be hardy enough and easy to
trim once a year if needed. Below that you could try any number of
flowering groundcover plants, including the Hypericum calycinum Sacha
mentioned; periwinkle, epimedium. Slightly taller, but often used as
groundcover is Bergennia. It has lovely, glossy leathery leaves and
pink or white flowers. I have seen an entire bank covered in this and
it looked lovely. You could also fill in with spring bulbs like
snowdrops, dwarf daffodils and muscari. It may be too shady for crocus,
but you could try a few of the cheaper sun-loving bulbs just to see how
they perform.


If you do try Juniperus DO NOT trim it, give it a light pruning if
required but clipping can spoil its looks for a long time.



Actually, this Juniperus doesn't need pruning at all and I am not
suggesting routine pruning. I'm saying that Roger may have to trim away
growths that overgrow his path/boundary. This can be done simply by
studying how the growths sprout from the spreading branches and trimming
sympathetically any unwanted lengths. I have done it many times. Done
properly, you can't see the where it was trimmed. It just fits its
space better.

The only warning I might give about trimming junipers, is to wear gloves
to prevent skin irritation.

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

On 04/02/2013 18:16, Spider wrote:
On 04/02/2013 17:49, David Hill wrote:
On 04/02/2013 16:29, Spider wrote:
On 02/02/2013 17:07, Roger Tonkin wrote:
I have a steeply sloping bed, close to the north west
corner of the house. It slopes downwards towards the
house and receives little or or sunshine being shaded
by the house.

It was planted with heathers some 18 years ago, and
they have now gone very straggly and where they've
been cut back off the wall/path unsightly.

SWMBO has decided that they need replacing, but before
doing this I was wondering if there is any other plant
that would provide ground cover for this very shady,
cold slope. It is too steep to work regularly or for
lawn, and the lawn above it is more of a moss bed than
a grass bed!

Thanks for any ideas




Have you thought of covering the top half of it with something like
Juniperus squamata 'Blue Carpet'? It would be hardy enough and easy to
trim once a year if needed. Below that you could try any number of
flowering groundcover plants, including the Hypericum calycinum Sacha
mentioned; periwinkle, epimedium. Slightly taller, but often used as
groundcover is Bergennia. It has lovely, glossy leathery leaves and
pink or white flowers. I have seen an entire bank covered in this and
it looked lovely. You could also fill in with spring bulbs like
snowdrops, dwarf daffodils and muscari. It may be too shady for crocus,
but you could try a few of the cheaper sun-loving bulbs just to see how
they perform.


If you do try Juniperus DO NOT trim it, give it a light pruning if
required but clipping can spoil its looks for a long time.



Actually, this Juniperus doesn't need pruning at all and I am not
suggesting routine pruning. I'm saying that Roger may have to trim away
growths that overgrow his path/boundary. This can be done simply by
studying how the growths sprout from the spreading branches and trimming
sympathetically any unwanted lengths. I have done it many times. Done
properly, you can't see the where it was trimmed. It just fits its
space better.

The only warning I might give about trimming junipers, is to wear gloves
to prevent skin irritation.

I remember seeing a retaining wall topped with around a dozen Junipers
which were trimmed 2 days before the owners daughter got married, the
"Gardener" took shears to the lot to clip them back.
What had been the pride and joy of the garden were massacred, they never
recovered and were removed 18 months later.

On 04/02/2013 18:23, David Hill wrote:
On 04/02/2013 18:16, Spider wrote:
On 04/02/2013 17:49, David Hill wrote:
On 04/02/2013 16:29, Spider wrote:
On 02/02/2013 17:07, Roger Tonkin wrote:
I have a steeply sloping bed, close to the north west
corner of the house. It slopes downwards towards the
house and receives little or or sunshine being shaded
by the house.

It was planted with heathers some 18 years ago, and
they have now gone very straggly and where they've
been cut back off the wall/path unsightly.

SWMBO has decided that they need replacing, but before
doing this I was wondering if there is any other plant
that would provide ground cover for this very shady,
cold slope. It is too steep to work regularly or for
lawn, and the lawn above it is more of a moss bed than
a grass bed!

Thanks for any ideas




Have you thought of covering the top half of it with something like
Juniperus squamata 'Blue Carpet'? It would be hardy enough and easy to
trim once a year if needed. Below that you could try any number of
flowering groundcover plants, including the Hypericum calycinum Sacha
mentioned; periwinkle, epimedium. Slightly taller, but often used as
groundcover is Bergennia. It has lovely, glossy leathery leaves and
pink or white flowers. I have seen an entire bank covered in this and
it looked lovely. You could also fill in with spring bulbs like
snowdrops, dwarf daffodils and muscari. It may be too shady for crocus,
but you could try a few of the cheaper sun-loving bulbs just to see how
they perform.


If you do try Juniperus DO NOT trim it, give it a light pruning if
required but clipping can spoil its looks for a long time.



Actually, this Juniperus doesn't need pruning at all and I am not
suggesting routine pruning. I'm saying that Roger may have to trim away
growths that overgrow his path/boundary. This can be done simply by
studying how the growths sprout from the spreading branches and trimming
sympathetically any unwanted lengths. I have done it many times. Done
properly, you can't see the where it was trimmed. It just fits its
space better.

The only warning I might give about trimming junipers, is to wear gloves
to prevent skin irritation.

I remember seeing a retaining wall topped with around a dozen Junipers
which were trimmed 2 days before the owners daughter got married, the
"Gardener" took shears to the lot to clip them back.
What had been the pride and joy of the garden were massacred, they never
recovered and were removed 18 months later.



Yes, that's an awful shame! It has to be done properly and sparingly.
My junipers were crowning a retaining wall, too, so being able to see
them at eye level made occasional trimming much easier.

Getting a 'gardener' in for such a sensitive job is a huge mistake.
Most of them only know how to drive a van, push a mower and power trim
privet ... and charge too much. (My apologies to those gardeners with
more sense and sensitivity, some of whom I know frequent urg).

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

On Monday, 4 February 2013 18:23:00 UTC, Dave Hill wrote:
On 04/02/2013 18:16, Spider wrote:

On 04/02/2013 17:49, David Hill wrote:

On 04/02/2013 16:29, Spider wrote:

On 02/02/2013 17:07, Roger Tonkin wrote:

I have a steeply sloping bed, close to the north west

corner of the house. It slopes downwards towards the

house and receives little or or sunshine being shaded

by the house.



It was planted with heathers some 18 years ago, and

they have now gone very straggly and where they've

been cut back off the wall/path unsightly.



SWMBO has decided that they need replacing, but before

doing this I was wondering if there is any other plant

that would provide ground cover for this very shady,

cold slope. It is too steep to work regularly or for

lawn, and the lawn above it is more of a moss bed than

a grass bed!



Thanks for any ideas









Have you thought of covering the top half of it with something like

Juniperus squamata 'Blue Carpet'? It would be hardy enough and easy to

trim once a year if needed. Below that you could try any number of

flowering groundcover plants, including the Hypericum calycinum Sacha

mentioned; periwinkle, epimedium. Slightly taller, but often used as

groundcover is Bergennia. It has lovely, glossy leathery leaves and

pink or white flowers. I have seen an entire bank covered in this and

it looked lovely. You could also fill in with spring bulbs like

snowdrops, dwarf daffodils and muscari. It may be too shady for crocus,

but you could try a few of the cheaper sun-loving bulbs just to see how

they perform.





If you do try Juniperus DO NOT trim it, give it a light pruning if

required but clipping can spoil its looks for a long time.







Actually, this Juniperus doesn't need pruning at all and I am not

suggesting routine pruning. I'm saying that Roger may have to trim away

growths that overgrow his path/boundary. This can be done simply by

studying how the growths sprout from the spreading branches and trimming

sympathetically any unwanted lengths. I have done it many times. Done

properly, you can't see the where it was trimmed. It just fits its

space better.



The only warning I might give about trimming junipers, is to wear gloves

to prevent skin irritation.



I remember seeing a retaining wall topped with around a dozen Junipers

which were trimmed 2 days before the owners daughter got married, the

"Gardener" took shears to the lot to clip them back.

What had been the pride and joy of the garden were massacred, they never

recovered and were removed 18 months later.

On the whole I prefer to plant such that the plant can have it's head little or no pruning. The juniper in question shouldn't need pruning apart from keeping it off paths etc.
Because of my preference I have little experience of pruning junipers but I have seen a relict population of J. communis in rock crevices high on the mountains in Snowdonia where the plants have been grazed by sheep flush with the main surface of the rocks, so only a few inches of plant left. They are obviously stunted and tiny but still apparently healthy and growing. Not much ornamental impact though, in fact it was a while before I realised what they were.

Rod

On Saturday, 2 February 2013 19:56:37 UTC, Roger Tonkin wrote:
In article danqg891rp3hvpdt4rthvtve3f4qhfdbgk@

4ax.com, lid says...



I once rejuvenated an old heather bed by simply lifting the plants and

burying them deeper. Last I heard was that some 5 years later they

were still growing and flowering happily.





These are abot 24-30inches high and the though of

trying to dig them in even half that depth worries me!


I'd be tempted to try pruning them down by about half to 2/3 and if you can mulch with peat or ericaceous compost. So long as there's a bit of green growth showing they should recover.
You should see what Callunas tolerate during management for sheep and grouse on the hills and moors.
Rod

On 02/02/2013 19:56, Roger Tonkin wrote:
In article danqg891rp3hvpdt4rthvtve3f4qhfdbgk@
4ax.com, lid says...

I once rejuvenated an old heather bed by simply lifting the plants and
burying them deeper. Last I heard was that some 5 years later they
were still growing and flowering happily.


These are abot 24-30inches high and the though of
trying to dig them in even half that depth worries me!


You could try pining them down and top dressing the bed with 2 or 3
inches of peat (Yes I did say peat)mixed with sharp sand to give it some
weight, about 20% sand to peat by volume.
They should root into it in a few months and no heavy pruning to be done

On 04/02/2013 19:01, David Hill wrote:
On 02/02/2013 19:56, Roger Tonkin wrote:
In article danqg891rp3hvpdt4rthvtve3f4qhfdbgk@
4ax.com, lid says...

I once rejuvenated an old heather bed by simply lifting the plants and
burying them deeper. Last I heard was that some 5 years later they
were still growing and flowering happily.


These are abot 24-30inches high and the though of
trying to dig them in even half that depth worries me!


You could try pining them down and top dressing the bed with 2 or 3
inches of peat (Yes I did say peat)mixed with sharp sand to give it some
weight, about 20% sand to peat by volume.
They should root into it in a few months and no heavy pruning to be done
I should have said DONT use a compost with any fertilizer in it, which
is why I said PEAT