Suggestions please!

[naturelover]

Originally Posted by Cazzie

Thanks for your comments Smartie! I'm not too fussed about it getting crowded, it needs filling up methinks

Right, I've done it... Da-daaaa!!!!



Put the Pyracantha at the back on the left, then the Cotoneaster, Smoke bush middle left then the buddleja (nearly forgot about it lol! ) then a couple of grasses (just pretties for effect atm), the Valerian and Bugle. I put some extra top soil in from the pond excavation and all had a good sprinkling of growmore so they should do fine hopefully Think I'll still keep an eye out for the Chinese Plumbago as when the Buddleja grows they always go bare at the bottom so it would be good to fill in the gap. Topped it all off with some woodchips (excess from pond again) and voila! Not sure what that plant is right of the Daisy - anyone know? It's just leaves atm and not sure if it's going to flower or what?!?

Here's another piccy taken from further back...



Should fill out nicely I reckon, what do you think then?!?

hi you could regret the red one i know it as (betsy) but looking at it now my name is betty and i think my mum told me that was its name for me,bless her,this plant is very pretty BUT it seeds every where unless you cud the seeds off as they die,this will make more flowers come.

[Cazzie]

Yep it does seed itself about, but that's ok with me as the butterflies just love the nectar from it!

[Cotham Marble]

Originally Posted by Cazzie

Thanks for your input CM!

Yep, you've got the jist of what I was planning. I'm well prepared to tame them both to give the best visual impact and it's not a problem to cut back the privet a bit if need be so the pyracantha gets more light as it grows. The cotoneaster is a simonsii, erect habit, fully hardy and tough max height 9ft in 10 yrs. Have a question though - should I nip the tips of the leading branches so that it will bush more? (hopefully sideways) Could I do this now or wait until the spring do you think?

In general, if still in the growing season, it is best to give new planting time to get established before doing any pruning, in most cases anyway there will be little top growth for a couple of months as most of the plant's efforts will go into making new roots.

I'm not sure there is a definitive way forward with your fence plants, however my suggestion would be to retain a single lead stem and train lateral shoots to fan out as cover for the fence. You may find it helpful to put in guide wires angled away from the vertical, which the lead stem would follow and if necessary be tied in to. To begin with the only pruning you would need to do is on shoots that are facing outward from the fence - my suggestion would be to snip these just after the second leaf break so you retain foliage cover along the plant.

In future years, apart from some summer trimming, you will probably only need to do a major prune of the pyroncanthus and cotoneaster once a year - at the end of winter when the berries have either been eaten or are past their best, and once any risk of sustained frost is past which can cause damage to open wood.

Regarding the privet, I think it is much underestimated as a speciment plant however they are very tough and competitive, my guess is that the mohonia (another toughie) held the privet in check to some degree. I would certainly make sure your new plants stay well watered for the next few weeks. In the longer run you may need to look at limiting the spread of the privet's root system as well as keeping the top cut back. Anyway it all looks good - it only remains to be seen what the wildlife makes of it

CM

[Cazzie]

Gotcha! Thanks for that CM! Think I'll leave well alone for the time being, keep watering and wait until spring before I start to shape them

Just going to move a buddleja (not the one in the pic) but the one under my new Rowan as it's certainly in the wrong place atm I'm going to move it onto the woodchip section so it has room to grow and get beautifully large!!!!

[Jez]

Jez - Don't think an 8ft model of Shrek would really be appropriate in my lovely garden, but thanks for the offer! [/quote]It looks more like Busta Bloodvessel than Shrek if your keen?

[Cazzie]

Originally Posted by Jez

Jez - Don't think an 8ft model of Shrek would really be appropriate in my lovely garden, but thanks for the offer!

It looks more like Busta Bloodvessel than Shrek if your keen?[/quote]

Nope, you can keep it Jez, honestly!