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#1
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what plant might I help to grow wild on the Isle of Lewis?
I live in a rural area on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland, and there's a
piece of land that while it doesn't belong to me is kind of my responsibility to keep kempt - a wide verge between my fence and the road. Although there's no pronounced slope from side to side, it's not flat and I don't want the bother of having to strim or mow it. What fast-growing bushes might I sow there? Ideally I would like something like wild fuchsia. There isn't a lot of it on the island, as there is in parts of rural Ireland, but there is some. Gorse would also be nice. I'd be grateful for advice or suggestions. I'm looking for something * that doesn't require tending or pruning * that grows fast, perhaps to a height of 3-5 feet (although a shorter height would also be OK - wild fuchsia is lovely, as is gorse, but what's most important is ground coverage), and * that either grows on the island wild already or is similar to plants that do, or at least fits in with those that do, and * that I can buy a big bag of seeds for for scattering by hand, or alternatively if it grows already on the island, that I can gather seeds for from existing plants growing wild. Many thanks for any help with this. Harry |
#2
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what plant might I help to grow wild on the Isle of Lewis?
Harold Davis wrote in
: I live in a rural area on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland, and there's a piece of land that while it doesn't belong to me is kind of my responsibility to keep kempt - a wide verge between my fence and the road. Although there's no pronounced slope from side to side, it's not flat and I don't want the bother of having to strim or mow it. (snip) I should have added: the area is about 4-5 metres wide and 50-60 metres long! A small part of it already has some low-lying green flowers that I don't know the name of. Harry |
#3
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what plant might I help to grow wild on the Isle of Lewis?
On Wednesday, August 3, 2016 at 12:01:12 PM UTC+1, Harold Davis wrote:
I live in a rural area on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland, and there's a piece of land that while it doesn't belong to me is kind of my responsibility to keep kempt - a wide verge between my fence and the road. Although there's no pronounced slope from side to side, it's not flat and I don't want the bother of having to strim or mow it. What fast-growing bushes might I sow there? Ideally I would like something like wild fuchsia. There isn't a lot of it on the island, as there is in parts of rural Ireland, but there is some. Gorse would also be nice. I'd be grateful for advice or suggestions. I'm looking for something * that doesn't require tending or pruning * that grows fast, perhaps to a height of 3-5 feet (although a shorter height would also be OK - wild fuchsia is lovely, as is gorse, but what's most important is ground coverage), and * that either grows on the island wild already or is similar to plants that do, or at least fits in with those that do, and * that I can buy a big bag of seeds for for scattering by hand, or alternatively if it grows already on the island, that I can gather seeds for from existing plants growing wild. Many thanks for any help with this. Harry I would be very wary of introducing a plant that doesn't already grow on the island. Jonathan |
#4
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what plant might I help to grow wild on the Isle of Lewis?
On 03/08/2016 12:05, Harold Davis wrote:
Harold Davis wrote in : I live in a rural area on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland, and there's a piece of land that while it doesn't belong to me is kind of my responsibility to keep kempt - a wide verge between my fence and the road. Although there's no pronounced slope from side to side, it's not flat and I don't want the bother of having to strim or mow it. (snip) I should have added: the area is about 4-5 metres wide and 50-60 metres long! A small part of it already has some low-lying green flowers that I don't know the name of. Harry "low-lying green flowers" isn't very precise, but green flowers (if meant literally) are relatively uncommon, so it is Alchemilla - either the garden escape Alchemilla mollis, or one of the native species (you might have Alchemilla alpina up there)? Any advice really depends on ground conditions - is it sandy, or rocky or peaty, is it wet, or dry? -- SRH |
#5
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what plant might I help to grow wild on the Isle of Lewis?
wrote in message ... On Wednesday, August 3, 2016 at 12:01:12 PM UTC+1, Harold Davis wrote: I live in a rural area on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland, and there's a piece of land that while it doesn't belong to me is kind of my responsibility to keep kempt - a wide verge between my fence and the road. Although there's no pronounced slope from side to side, it's not flat and I don't want the bother of having to strim or mow it. What fast-growing bushes might I sow there? Ideally I would like something like wild fuchsia. There isn't a lot of it on the island, as there is in parts of rural Ireland, but there is some. Gorse would also be nice. I'd be grateful for advice or suggestions. I'm looking for something * that doesn't require tending or pruning * that grows fast, perhaps to a height of 3-5 feet (although a shorter height would also be OK - wild fuchsia is lovely, as is gorse, but what's most important is ground coverage), and * that either grows on the island wild already or is similar to plants that do, or at least fits in with those that do, and * that I can buy a big bag of seeds for for scattering by hand, or alternatively if it grows already on the island, that I can gather seeds for from existing plants growing wild. Many thanks for any help with this. Harry I would be very wary of introducing a plant that doesn't already grow on the island. Knowing Lewis well, my first thought is NOT gorse but broom which alraedy grows on the Island. It has flowered well up here this year and the seed will be ready soon for collection. Phil Northern Highlands of Scotland |
#6
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what plant might I help to grow wild on the Isle of Lewis?
Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote in news:nnsr1n
: On 03/08/2016 12:05, Harold Davis wrote: Harold Davis wrote in : I live in a rural area on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland, and there's a piece of land that while it doesn't belong to me is kind of my responsibility to keep kempt - a wide verge between my fence and the road. Although there's no pronounced slope from side to side, it's not flat and I don't want the bother of having to strim or mow it. (snip) I should have added: the area is about 4-5 metres wide and 50-60 metres long! A small part of it already has some low-lying green flowers that I don't know the name of. "low-lying green flowers" isn't very precise, but green flowers (if meant literally) are relatively uncommon, so it is Alchemilla - either the garden escape Alchemilla mollis, or one of the native species (you might have Alchemilla alpina up there)? Thanks for this. Well at least the information was enough for you to identify the genus They look like Alchemilla mollis; definitely not Alchemilla alpina. Any advice really depends on ground conditions - is it sandy, or rocky or peaty, is it wet, or dry? It's peaty. No sand. We get an average of maybe 50 inches of rain a year, but the site itself isn't wet. It's well drained. It runs parallel to and slightly higher than the road and has a gravel-filled drainage ditch along the middle. Harry |
#7
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what plant might I help to grow wild on the Isle of Lewis?
Harold Davis wrote:
I live in a rural area on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland, and there's a piece of land that while it doesn't belong to me is kind of my responsibility to keep kempt - a wide verge between my fence and the road. Although there's no pronounced slope from side to side, it's not flat and I don't want the bother of having to strim or mow it. What fast-growing bushes might I sow there? Ideally I would like something like wild fuchsia. There isn't a lot of it on the island, as there is in parts of rural Ireland, but there is some. Gorse would also be nice. I'd be grateful for advice or suggestions. I'm looking for something * that doesn't require tending or pruning * that grows fast, perhaps to a height of 3-5 feet (although a shorter height would also be OK - wild fuchsia is lovely, as is gorse, but what's most important is ground coverage), and * that either grows on the island wild already or is similar to plants that do, or at least fits in with those that do, and * that I can buy a big bag of seeds for for scattering by hand, or alternatively if it grows already on the island, that I can gather seeds for from existing plants growing wild. Many thanks for any help with this. I personally wouldn't have 50m by 4m of the same thing, why not plant gorse (or broom which has been suggested) in 3 or 4 metre patches and infil 3 or 4 metre patches with wild fuchsia. Cuttings would be better for fuchsias although they're not very fast growing, I'd put 20 or 30 cuttings in each patch as some are bound not to take / survive. Never grown broom or gorse so have no ideas on this. |
#8
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what plant might I help to grow wild on the Isle of Lewis?
On 8/3/2016 1:18 PM, Phil L wrote:
I personally wouldn't have 50m by 4m of the same thing, why not plant gorse (or broom which has been suggested) in 3 or 4 metre patches and infil 3 or 4 metre patches with wild fuchsia. Cuttings would be better for fuchsias although they're not very fast growing, I'd put 20 or 30 cuttings in each patch as some are bound not to take / survive. Never grown broom or gorse so have no ideas on this. I would definitely NOT plant gorse! It's evil stuff, and spreads rapidly, whether or not you want it to. There's a lot of it on the common grazings surrounding our property, and I spend far too much time trying to get rid of volunteer seedlings. Broom though, is just as pretty, and doesn't rip your skin to shreds if you need to cut it back. |
#9
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what plant might I help to grow wild on the Isle of Lewis?
On 8/3/2016 1:49 PM, Chris Hogg wrote:
wrote: On 8/3/2016 1:18 PM, Phil L wrote: I personally wouldn't have 50m by 4m of the same thing, why not plant gorse (or broom which has been suggested) in 3 or 4 metre patches and infil 3 or 4 metre patches with wild fuchsia. Cuttings would be better for fuchsias although they're not very fast growing, I'd put 20 or 30 cuttings in each patch as some are bound not to take / survive. Never grown broom or gorse so have no ideas on this. I would definitely NOT plant gorse! It's evil stuff, and spreads rapidly, whether or not you want it to. There's a lot of it on the common grazings surrounding our property, and I spend far too much time trying to get rid of volunteer seedlings. Broom though, is just as pretty, and doesn't rip your skin to shreds if you need to cut it back. Broom is also a legume with root nodules that supply nitrogen, so will grow on poor soil. Yes, and it comes in a number of colour combinations, not just the usual bright yellow. |
#10
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what plant might I help to grow wild on the Isle of Lewis?
On Wed, 3 Aug 2016 11:01:11 -0000 (UTC), Harold Davis
wrote: Ideally I would like something like wild fuchsia. Hardy wild Fuchsia, would work, but you would need to use one year old plants, planted deep (ie , with the bottom third below ground, even if that means covering leaves). That way in the first winter the rootball is protected, after that not a lot to do, except stand back and admire. But thats a big space, maybe get something else as well. Lincoln and District Fuchsia Society www.http://lincolnfuchsiasociety.info/ |
#11
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what plant might I help to grow wild on the Isle of Lewis?
On Thu, 04 Aug 2016 10:45:21 +0100, Derek
wrote: Ideally I would like something like wild fuchsia. Adding to my previous post, if you did want to use fuchsia, suggest you take hardwood cuttings, one large bush could quite easily produce a couple of hundred cuttings, taken in September, 4" long, plunged into the ground, left to next spring and you may be pleasantly surprised how many will have rooted, ready to be moved on to your plot. Lincoln and District Fuchsia Society |
#12
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what plant might I help to grow wild on the Isle of Lewis?
Derek wrote:
On Thu, 04 Aug 2016 10:45:21 +0100, Derek wrote: Ideally I would like something like wild fuchsia. Adding to my previous post, if you did want to use fuchsia, suggest you take hardwood cuttings, one large bush could quite easily produce a couple of hundred cuttings, taken in September, 4" long, plunged into the ground, left to next spring and you may be pleasantly surprised how many will have rooted, ready to be moved on to your plot. Lincoln and District Fuchsia Society Hi Derek, a couple of my fuchsias aren't doing too good while others are going berserk, they've all had the same treatment, feed, water, piching out etc. Three from six of my Sir Matt Busbys have all but died - they all started off with a profusion of flowers and I've been dead-heading them all the same, three have stopped producing while the other three are producing even more. one of them has battered and bruised leaves, as does another completely red fuchsia that I don't know the name of, the leaves appear to have been shot with a shotgun, thousands of tiny holes, some joined to other holes. I've checked for pests and can't see any |
#13
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what plant might I help to grow wild on the Isle of Lewis?
On Fri, 5 Aug 2016 20:06:32 +0100, "Phil L"
wrote: Three from six of my Sir Matt Busbys have all but died - they all started off with a profusion of flowers and I've been dead-heading them all the same, three have stopped producing while the other three are producing even more. Its quite possible that they have finished their flowering, so cut the fuchsia down by two thirds, water and feed, and they may well be flowing again by October. A grower I know opens his garden for the NGS in June where he has 150 varieties of fuchsia on show, day after, cuts down all the plants by a third, de leaves them (that's a mammoth job) and they are all back for his Autumn NGS open day! one of them has battered and bruised leaves, as does another completely red fuchsia that I don't know the name of, the leaves appear to have been shot with a shotgun, thousands of tiny holes, some joined to other holes. Have you checked at night? Do as I say above, its very difficult to kill a fuchsia (expect possibly with kindness) I have grown 'Sir Matt Busbys' not a great fan, suggest if you see a fuchsia with a celebrity name, you leave it alone, there are over 11,000 different varieties For anyone here who would like to visit my forum, you need to log in to see the best bits Login with Name fuchsia password Ng2016 |
#14
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what plant might I help to grow wild on the Isle of Lewis?
Derek wrote:
On Fri, 5 Aug 2016 20:06:32 +0100, "Phil L" wrote: Three from six of my Sir Matt Busbys have all but died - they all started off with a profusion of flowers and I've been dead-heading them all the same, three have stopped producing while the other three are producing even more. Its quite possible that they have finished their flowering, so cut the fuchsia down by two thirds, water and feed, and they may well be flowing again by October. A grower I know opens his garden for the NGS in June where he has 150 varieties of fuchsia on show, day after, cuts down all the plants by a third, de leaves them (that's a mammoth job) and they are all back for his Autumn NGS open day! one of them has battered and bruised leaves, as does another completely red fuchsia that I don't know the name of, the leaves appear to have been shot with a shotgun, thousands of tiny holes, some joined to other holes. Have you checked at night? Do as I say above, its very difficult to kill a fuchsia (expect possibly with kindness) I have grown 'Sir Matt Busbys' not a great fan, suggest if you see a fuchsia with a celebrity name, you leave it alone, there are over 11,000 different varieties For anyone here who would like to visit my forum, you need to log in to see the best bits Login with Name fuchsia password Ng2016 Cheers for the info Derek. My keyboard died as I was typing and I'd no time last night to source new batteries. I've taken a few leaves off and checked under a magnifying glass, there does appear to be insect activity, droppings and obvious trails of bite holes but no actual bugs. I'll cut down the affected ones by two thirds and de-leave them, but still can't work out why these seem to have finished while others bought at the same time are still producing masses of blooms, not just the pest ridden ones but a few others too that show no sign of infestation. SMB was purchased solely because I wanted red and white hanging to go with upright Snowcaps in the same baskets. I'm not an expert in any way (as you may have noticed!) but my cunning plan was to have the red and white Snowcaps in the middle with SMB around the edges to create a sort of 'ball' of red and white. They've turned out pretty good and I've taken dozens of cuttings of both plus quite a few others successfully following your advice from last year. |
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