Lazy Gardener.

[Stinkhorn]

I am a Lazy gardener with a suitably small garden less than 10 meters long. With horrible leylandii trees and the end and no other plants.

I want to plant it with native and easy to maintain species that will attract wildlife. I think the garden will be too small for any more trees.

Any ideas or advice please?

[Hedera]

If they are your leylandii top them out or get rid!
Nothing will grow near them for about 6 feet or more.
Some small shrubs which have berries for the birds e.g. mahonia, hollies, spindle berry which can be kept pruned and have flowers.
Lavender: goldfinches love the seeds, and evening primrose likewise-it seeds and new plants grow anywhere with bi-ennial flowers

[Hedge Witch]

There is a line of very large leylandii in my garden, and things do grow near them - I'll tidy the garden in the next few days, so will try and take some shots. The one plant that I am certain will grow is pyracantha. There are two beneath the trees here.

I'll check my old RHS mags and books, there is a type of rose that is recommended for growing up and through leylandii.

Both these have admirable qualities in terms of attracting wildlife. But I'm afraid this only helps if you are willing to compromise on the native issue (which you are probably not ).

Tell us which way your garden faces, the moisture level in the soil and any native shrubs you can see growing in the alleyway or in neighbour's gardens. I'll put my thinking cap on some more.

[Geoff F]

Two quick time saving suggestions which I use. Cover the soil with black polythene weed supressing sheeting, after digging in plenty of compost, and cover with decorative local stone chippings. Then cut holes to plant small to medium evergreen plants which never need tending again. You can also use bark chips but these may need replacing occasionally.

I also plant suitable small shrubs and perennials in large containers and move them around acording to the season, so there is always something of interest on display while the 'out of season' containers can just sit around on the sidelines awaiting their turn.

[Stinkhorn]

South facing garden, don't know the pH.

Elder, sycamore, (not native I know), oak, ivy ash and hawthorn are growing near by.

I am interested in the rose that grows up leylandii.

Spindle would be great, any idea where to buy it from?

Lavender sounds good.

I hate Leylandii, but might have to live with them for the sake of a screen and keeping the neighbours happy.

Tubs and polythene also sound easy.

Thanks guys.

hedge witch dig my garden please!

[Stinkhorn]

Also what time of year do I need to plant these things? Is it to lat eto be planting spindle??
thansk

[Hedge Witch]

I'd give it a go - I add a bit of lime to the soil, mine is growing well (yes, it's near the leylandii). You can buy then very cheaply from Buckingham Nurseries (within driving distance). They are only a few pence each.

[Jez]

I started a thread in my early days on WAB regarding wildlife beneficial wildflowers that I consider garden worthy and be mixed into a herbaceous border! The list I wrote might be some benefit to you?!? Anyway I copied it and have posted it below.



I'd just like to suggest wildflowers which i think are worth while to have in garden borders and beds!

Aconite, Wild Primrose, Lungwort, Cowslips, Sweet Violets, Wood Cranesbills, Wood Anemone, Forget-Me-Nots, Meadow Cranesbill- Blue and Alba, Vipers Bugloss, Betony, Scabious-Small, Field and Devils bit, Musk mallow- Pink & White, Bellflower-Giant & Nettled Leaved, Red Campions,Common Centaury, Bloody Cranesbill, Ox Eye Daisy, Dropwort, Meadowsweet, Majoram, Leopards Bane, Monkshood, Pasque Flower, Cheddar/Deptford/Maiden Pinks, Welsh Poppy, Evening Primrose, Skullcap, Everlasting Sweet Pea-Pink & White, Meloncholy Thistle, Yellow Toadflax, Vervain, Snakehead Fritilary, Wild Strawberry, Birds Foot Trefoil, Wood Vetch, Self Heal (looks good in the lawn), Sheeps Bit, Purple & Yellow Loose Strife, Gladwyn Iris (Grown for there Winter Berries), Hemp Agrimony, Globe Flower, Red Dead Nettle, Columbine, Greater Celandine, Dark Mullein-Verbascum, Lady's Mantle & Oxlip.

And thats not including Pond areas. Where Flag Iris, Water Forget-Me-Nots, Marsh Birds Foot Trefoil, Marsh Marigolds & Ragged Robin in damp areas will florish.

I wanted to do this to maybe inspire members & Guests to bring Native wildflowers into your Gardens....You will help benefit a lot of pollunators too whilst you admire such beautiful Flowers in your very own gardens & Window Boxes perhaps

I'm sure there are some i have missed perhaps Teazel & Small Teazel too amongst others.

I hope you become interested and sprout wild green fingers!
__________________
Oh the Ramsons leaves are coming up-do dah do dah

[Hedge Witch]

Originally Posted by Stinkhorn

I am interested in the rose that grows up leylandii.

Several RHS magazines later, I have finally found it. In the August 2007 edition of the journal of the RHS "The Garden" it says that the "notorious Leyland cypress can be used as a host for the more rampant climbers such as rambling Rosa "Kew Rambler"'.

And they show a picture as proof:



Sorry for the poor quality, it's a scan.

Get advise when choosing the kind of "rampant climber" that you need, some such as Kiftsgate are really only suitable when space in unlimited.

[Hedge Witch]

Hi Stinkhorn,
My Spindle (the spindly tree in the foreground, with no leaves yet) happily grows just a few meters away from the leylandii. As I said above, the pyracantha is happy to grow right up to the trunks of the conifers.