Does anyone grow an Italian Cyprus (cupressus sempervirens)?
I had one once, grown from seed, but at about 18 inches. It was moved
by a gardener friend and it didn't survive. Nor did he!
You may remember I was asking last year about what to plant to hide
the lamp-post which has been put up outside my garden.
A friend has offered me a eucalyptus, which is about 10 feet tall and
in a pot, so would be ideal. I had one there before, and a year before
they put in the post, I cut it back, hoping for regrowth.... but it
died!
However I saw a cyprus in a catalogue. advertised as sold at about 3
feet high, and wondered a) how long would it get to 6 ft fence height
and above, and b) would it be hardy?
Sorry,----- long winded!

Pam in Bristol

On Sun, 26 Jan 2014 17:01:18 +0000, Pam Moore
wrote:

Oops, subject line should be Italian. Too small to read !


Pam in Bristol

"Pam Moore" wrote ...

Does anyone grow an Italian Cyprus (cupressus sempervirens)?
I had one once, grown from seed, but at about 18 inches. It was moved
by a gardener friend and it didn't survive. Nor did he!
You may remember I was asking last year about what to plant to hide
the lamp-post which has been put up outside my garden.
A friend has offered me a eucalyptus, which is about 10 feet tall and
in a pot, so would be ideal. I had one there before, and a year before
they put in the post, I cut it back, hoping for regrowth.... but it
died!
However I saw a cyprus in a catalogue. advertised as sold at about 3
feet high, and wondered a) how long would it get to 6 ft fence height
and above, and b) would it be hardy?
Sorry,----- long winded!


I think there is an article in this months, well it's next months but you
know what I mean, The Garden mentioning tall straight conifers, Skyrocket
and the like.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

On 2014-01-26 17:07:01 +0000, Pam Moore said:

On Sun, 26 Jan 2014 17:01:18 +0000, Pam Moore
wrote:

Oops, subject line should be Italian. Too small to read !


Pam in Bristol

The genuine Cupressus sempervirens tends not to maintain their girlish
figures in our climate, Pam. Because we have such a high rainfall here
they tend to get bushier than they do in the rather more testing
Italian climate. That said, this may well suit your needs!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

"Pam Moore" wrote in message
...
Does anyone grow an Italian Cyprus (cupressus sempervirens)?
I had one once, grown from seed, but at about 18 inches. It was moved
by a gardener friend and it didn't survive. Nor did he!
You may remember I was asking last year about what to plant to hide
the lamp-post which has been put up outside my garden.
A friend has offered me a eucalyptus, which is about 10 feet tall and
in a pot, so would be ideal. I had one there before, and a year before
they put in the post, I cut it back, hoping for regrowth.... but it
died!
However I saw a cyprus in a catalogue. advertised as sold at about 3
feet high, and wondered a) how long would it get to 6 ft fence height
and above, and b) would it be hardy?
Sorry,----- long winded!

Pam in Bristol

Do be careful if you accept the "Gift Horse" of the Eucalyptus as they often
become unstable in wind unless planted as very young small plants, you would
certainly need heavy duty staking above what may appear enough!


--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk

On 2014-01-27 08:45:33 +0000, Charlie Pridham said:

"Pam Moore" wrote in message
...
Does anyone grow an Italian Cyprus (cupressus sempervirens)?
I had one once, grown from seed, but at about 18 inches. It was moved
by a gardener friend and it didn't survive. Nor did he!
You may remember I was asking last year about what to plant to hide
the lamp-post which has been put up outside my garden.
A friend has offered me a eucalyptus, which is about 10 feet tall and
in a pot, so would be ideal. I had one there before, and a year before
they put in the post, I cut it back, hoping for regrowth.... but it
died!
However I saw a cyprus in a catalogue. advertised as sold at about 3
feet high, and wondered a) how long would it get to 6 ft fence height
and above, and b) would it be hardy?
Sorry,----- long winded!

Pam in Bristol

Do be careful if you accept the "Gift Horse" of the Eucalyptus as they
often become unstable in wind unless planted as very young small
plants, you would certainly need heavy duty staking above what may
appear enough!

Istr we had a discussion on here some time back about Eucalyptus that
have been in a pot for too long. Was it along the lines that they're
particularly unstable because they never establish a good root system,
having been in a pot a long time?
--

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

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2014-01-27 08:45:33 +0000, Charlie Pridham said:

"Pam Moore" wrote in message
...
Does anyone grow an Italian Cyprus (cupressus sempervirens)?
I had one once, grown from seed, but at about 18 inches. It was moved
by a gardener friend and it didn't survive. Nor did he!
You may remember I was asking last year about what to plant to hide
the lamp-post which has been put up outside my garden.
A friend has offered me a eucalyptus, which is about 10 feet tall and
in a pot, so would be ideal. I had one there before, and a year before
they put in the post, I cut it back, hoping for regrowth.... but it
died!
However I saw a cyprus in a catalogue. advertised as sold at about 3
feet high, and wondered a) how long would it get to 6 ft fence height
and above, and b) would it be hardy?
Sorry,----- long winded!

Pam in Bristol

Do be careful if you accept the "Gift Horse" of the Eucalyptus as they
often become unstable in wind unless planted as very young small plants,
you would certainly need heavy duty staking above what may appear enough!

Istr we had a discussion on here some time back about Eucalyptus that have
been in a pot for too long. Was it along the lines that they're
particularly unstable because they never establish a good root system,
having been in a pot a long time?
--

Sacha

That's the general view, although of course there are always exceptions! and
I have had a 12 footer blown flat to the ground, been dragged upright,
chained back to a wall and 10 years later was stable enough to remove the
chain, only to have the next winters cold kill it stone dead in a single
night.

Personally I would never plant a Eucalypt more than 2 feet high and have
found 6 inch seedlings normal go away the quickest overtaking the bigger
trees by about year 3 But I do of course live in a windy place and my
experience is coloured by that.

--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk

If it's potbound, it may never establish. I've planted a few pot-bound eucs and nothing happened. The main trunks of them have died and I just have a few pathetic twigs emerging from the base, which never get going. They've been in 10-12 years.

I'd never plant any kind of euc without knowing exactly what it is and what it might do. See The Hardy Eucalyptus Page

On 2014-01-27 10:35:24 +0000, Charlie Pridham said:

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2014-01-27 08:45:33 +0000, Charlie Pridham said:

"Pam Moore" wrote in message
...
Does anyone grow an Italian Cyprus (cupressus sempervirens)?
I had one once, grown from seed, but at about 18 inches. It was moved
by a gardener friend and it didn't survive. Nor did he!
You may remember I was asking last year about what to plant to hide
the lamp-post which has been put up outside my garden.
A friend has offered me a eucalyptus, which is about 10 feet tall and
in a pot, so would be ideal. I had one there before, and a year before
they put in the post, I cut it back, hoping for regrowth.... but it
died!
However I saw a cyprus in a catalogue. advertised as sold at about 3
feet high, and wondered a) how long would it get to 6 ft fence height
and above, and b) would it be hardy?
Sorry,----- long winded!

Pam in Bristol

Do be careful if you accept the "Gift Horse" of the Eucalyptus as they
often become unstable in wind unless planted as very young small
plants, you would certainly need heavy duty staking above what may
appear enough!

Istr we had a discussion on here some time back about Eucalyptus that
have been in a pot for too long. Was it along the lines that they're
particularly unstable because they never establish a good root system,
having been in a pot a long time?
--

Sacha

That's the general view, although of course there are always
exceptions! and I have had a 12 footer blown flat to the ground, been
dragged upright, chained back to a wall and 10 years later was stable
enough to remove the chain, only to have the next winters cold kill it
stone dead in a single night.

Personally I would never plant a Eucalypt more than 2 feet high and
have found 6 inch seedlings normal go away the quickest overtaking the
bigger trees by about year 3 But I do of course live in a windy place
and my experience is coloured by that.

In a former walled garden, I had one, not planted by me that was
propped up by a y-shaped piece of old tree trunk. It still made
spirited attempts to hurl itself to the ground but never quite made it!
--

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

"Sacha" wrote

Charlie Pridham said:

"Sacha" wrote in message
Charlie Pridham said:

"Pam Moore" wrote in message
...
Does anyone grow an Italian Cyprus (cupressus sempervirens)?
I had one once, grown from seed, but at about 18 inches. It was moved
by a gardener friend and it didn't survive. Nor did he!
You may remember I was asking last year about what to plant to hide
the lamp-post which has been put up outside my garden.
A friend has offered me a eucalyptus, which is about 10 feet tall and
in a pot, so would be ideal. I had one there before, and a year before
they put in the post, I cut it back, hoping for regrowth.... but it
died!
However I saw a cyprus in a catalogue. advertised as sold at about 3
feet high, and wondered a) how long would it get to 6 ft fence height
and above, and b) would it be hardy?
Sorry,----- long winded!



Do be careful if you accept the "Gift Horse" of the Eucalyptus as they
often become unstable in wind unless planted as very young small
plants, you would certainly need heavy duty staking above what may
appear enough!

Istr we had a discussion on here some time back about Eucalyptus that
have been in a pot for too long. Was it along the lines that they're
particularly unstable because they never establish a good root system,
having been in a pot a long time?


That's the general view, although of course there are always exceptions!
and I have had a 12 footer blown flat to the ground, been dragged
upright, chained back to a wall and 10 years later was stable enough to
remove the chain, only to have the next winters cold kill it stone dead
in a single night.

Personally I would never plant a Eucalypt more than 2 feet high and have
found 6 inch seedlings normal go away the quickest overtaking the bigger
trees by about year 3 But I do of course live in a windy place and my
experience is coloured by that.

In a former walled garden, I had one, not planted by me that was propped up
by a y-shaped piece of old tree trunk. It still made spirited attempts to
hurl itself to the ground but never quite made it!

Neighbour has one planted by a previous owner, when young it blew to a 45°
angle but refused to be pushed upright so the owner cut it off just above
ground level. It then quickly made a new single growth from the roots and is
now a rather tall superb straight tree and has survived all that the winds
have thrown at it.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

On 2014-01-27 18:36:22 +0000, Bob Hobden said:

"Sacha" wrote

Charlie Pridham said:

"Sacha" wrote in message
Charlie Pridham said:

"Pam Moore" wrote in message
...
Does anyone grow an Italian Cyprus (cupressus sempervirens)?
I had one once, grown from seed, but at about 18 inches. It was moved
by a gardener friend and it didn't survive. Nor did he!
You may remember I was asking last year about what to plant to hide
the lamp-post which has been put up outside my garden.
A friend has offered me a eucalyptus, which is about 10 feet tall and
in a pot, so would be ideal. I had one there before, and a year before
they put in the post, I cut it back, hoping for regrowth.... but it
died!
However I saw a cyprus in a catalogue. advertised as sold at about 3
feet high, and wondered a) how long would it get to 6 ft fence height
and above, and b) would it be hardy?
Sorry,----- long winded!



Do be careful if you accept the "Gift Horse" of the Eucalyptus as they
often become unstable in wind unless planted as very young small
plants, you would certainly need heavy duty staking above what may
appear enough!

Istr we had a discussion on here some time back about Eucalyptus that
have been in a pot for too long. Was it along the lines that they're
particularly unstable because they never establish a good root system,
having been in a pot a long time?


That's the general view, although of course there are always
exceptions! and I have had a 12 footer blown flat to the ground, been
dragged upright, chained back to a wall and 10 years later was stable
enough to remove the chain, only to have the next winters cold kill it
stone dead in a single night.

Personally I would never plant a Eucalypt more than 2 feet high and
have found 6 inch seedlings normal go away the quickest overtaking the
bigger trees by about year 3 But I do of course live in a windy place
and my experience is coloured by that.

In a former walled garden, I had one, not planted by me that was
propped up by a y-shaped piece of old tree trunk. It still made
spirited attempts to hurl itself to the ground but never quite made it!

Neighbour has one planted by a previous owner, when young it blew to a
45° angle but refused to be pushed upright so the owner cut it off just
above ground level. It then quickly made a new single growth from the
roots and is now a rather tall superb straight tree and has survived
all that the winds have thrown at it.

Perhaps that cutting back encouraged it to make more root. They're
certainly very quick-growing, too.
--

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

"Bob Hobden" wrote
"Pam Moore" wrote ...

Does anyone grow an Italian Cyprus (cupressus sempervirens)?
I had one once, grown from seed, but at about 18 inches. It was moved
by a gardener friend and it didn't survive. Nor did he!
You may remember I was asking last year about what to plant to hide
the lamp-post which has been put up outside my garden.
[...]

I think there is an article in this months, well it's next months but
you know what I mean, The Garden mentioning tall straight conifers,
Skyrocket and the like.

I've got a fastigiate form of Taxus baccata called 'Robusta' which is a
tall, slender, dark green variety and I've often thought it'd be a good
alternative for the Italian cypress look but better suited to our
climate. Mine's about 10' or so high now and still only about 2' across
at it's widest. Very tough, can cope with lots of different soil types
and situations, takes whatever trimming you throw at it (although you
wouldn't really need to) and gives that same dark columnar effect.

I suppose the only problem is it's fairly slow growing to begin with,
but I think yew can be a lot faster than many people give it credit,
specially if given enough watering and attention when young.

--
Sue

On 2014-01-30 02:31:44 +0000, Indigo said:

"Bob Hobden" wrote
"Pam Moore" wrote ...

Does anyone grow an Italian Cyprus (cupressus sempervirens)?
I had one once, grown from seed, but at about 18 inches. It was moved
by a gardener friend and it didn't survive. Nor did he!
You may remember I was asking last year about what to plant to hide
the lamp-post which has been put up outside my garden.
[...]

I think there is an article in this months, well it's next months but
you know what I mean, The Garden mentioning tall straight conifers,
Skyrocket and the like.

I've got a fastigiate form of Taxus baccata called 'Robusta' which is a
tall, slender, dark green variety and I've often thought it'd be a good
alternative for the Italian cypress look but better suited to our
climate. Mine's about 10' or so high now and still only about 2' across
at it's widest. Very tough, can cope with lots of different soil types
and situations, takes whatever trimming you throw at it (although you
wouldn't really need to) and gives that same dark columnar effect.

I suppose the only problem is it's fairly slow growing to begin with,
but I think yew can be a lot faster than many people give it credit,
specially if given enough watering and attention when young.

I agree with this, Sue. Ray planted fastigiate yews at either end of a
long border as sort of punctuation points. They took a couple of years
to get going but after that grew steadily and at a reasonable rate.
They make a very acceptable substitute for the 'Italian cypress' and
keep a good shape. The only thing to watch out for with yew is that
they don't stand around in water, which will make them very unhappy!
--

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

On Thu, 30 Jan 2014 02:31:44 -0000, "Indigo"
wrote:


"Bob Hobden" wrote
"Pam Moore" wrote ...

Does anyone grow an Italian Cyprus (cupressus sempervirens)?
I had one once, grown from seed, but at about 18 inches. It was moved
by a gardener friend and it didn't survive. Nor did he!
You may remember I was asking last year about what to plant to hide
the lamp-post which has been put up outside my garden.
[...]

I think there is an article in this months, well it's next months but
you know what I mean, The Garden mentioning tall straight conifers,
Skyrocket and the like.

I've got a fastigiate form of Taxus baccata called 'Robusta' which is a
tall, slender, dark green variety and I've often thought it'd be a good
alternative for the Italian cypress look but better suited to our
climate. Mine's about 10' or so high now and still only about 2' across
at it's widest. Very tough, can cope with lots of different soil types
and situations, takes whatever trimming you throw at it (although you
wouldn't really need to) and gives that same dark columnar effect.

I suppose the only problem is it's fairly slow growing to begin with,
but I think yew can be a lot faster than many people give it credit,
specially if given enough watering and attention when young.

Thanks Sue
I have a tall Taxus vaccata but it is in a different part of the
garden. It has been in the ground for over 25 years. It was in a pot
for about 5 and when I planted it in the ground I did not know about
"teasing" the roots. It took years to get going but made got big
eventually. Ikeep it managable by taking out the tallest trunk right
to the base every few years.Now it's about the same size as the one
you have.
It would do the job but I don't want another the same.

Pam in Bristol

On 2014-01-30 11:49:33 +0000, Pam Moore said:

On Thu, 30 Jan 2014 02:31:44 -0000, "Indigo"
snip

Thanks Sue
I have a tall Taxus vaccata but it is in a different part of the
garden. It has been in the ground for over 25 years. It was in a pot
for about 5 and when I planted it in the ground I did not know about
"teasing" the roots. It took years to get going but made got big
eventually. Ikeep it managable by taking out the tallest trunk right
to the base every few years.Now it's about the same size as the one
you have.
It would do the job but I don't want another the same.

Pam in Bristol

This is going more than a bit off-piste but I wonder if Eucryphia
Nymansay would interest you? It has beautiful white flowers in summer,
attractive dark green leaves, is evergreen and columnar in shape. The
flowers are a bee magnet. It's also hardy to H4 according to the RHS
and is a really lovely plant.
--

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