fast growing plants

hi i don,t really know alot about plants i have a red robin bush in my garden and a butterfly bush which are lovely and thats it lol i am trying to find another big fast growing plant for the corner of my garden that is easy to look after and doesn't cost too much money as i am on a budget any suggestions would be great thank you

 

Betty

I'm sure other members will be along to answer your question soon. Just one thing to bear in mind ... a 'fast growing' plant does tend to require a bit of time on it ... to keep it in check!

What type of soil do you have?
Which way does that corner face? (North, South?)
Were you thinking of evergreen, or deciduous?
Leaves or flowers or fruits or a combination?

These are things to consider when making a final choice

 

hello,thanks for getting back to me ,the soil has a redish tinge to it lol i havn,t a clue about soil types i will have to ask my neigbour he has a lovely garden , the corner is facing west,and i dont mind a bit of looking after like cutting back i have to do that with the butterfly bush something like that would be good i havn,t got a clue what to get or the names of plants yet i had to ask my friend what the 2 plants are i have in the garden now lol i just need something there thats big to fill that space and fill it fast if thats possible ,thanks for your help

 

Probably clay I'm guessing. Does it get really sticky and claggy when wet?

Anyway, what about some of the hybrid willows? Some have really colourful bark. Or a silver birch, they are lovely. There's an even nicer pure white birch but I don't know what that one is called.

I've got plain old wild elderberry trees running along my boundary on one side. It is considered a weed by many, but I like it, it grows very fast, produces fragrant white flowers in summer followed by pretty clusters of berries. Boring in winter though. Its really nothing to look at in winter. The bark isn't much to look at.

 

Not knowing the names of plants really isn't a big deal right now: what might be could be the recommendations you are given

I would suggest, any recommendations you are given you look up on the RHS plant finder webpage. I say that because a) it needs to be attractive to *you*; b) it needs to be something where you understand it's needs, it's location, it's care .. that way you are not throwing good money after bad and c) you know you will enjoy it!

Because you are on a budget, may I recommend that you look at your local freecycle site. Sometimes people are giving away plants/cuttings/seeds and you never know your luck! Also, come the Spring, visit a few Boot Fairs (local to you) to see if you can bag a bargain (or five ). My first strawberry plants were courtesy of a boot fair (and many years ago!) and titivated my interest in growing my own (admittedly, the actual growing of my own didn't happen properly until a couple of years ago )

 

@fat controller, is it my eyes playing up or is that nasturtium thriving in deep shade and probably dry soil (at the foot of the conifers)?

 

Cabbage white butterflies absolutely adore nasturtiums! But, you often get just enough seed scattering itself about to get another plant or two the following year.

 

Lots of people seem to experience this problem, but for some reason not me. My nasturtiums get nibbled by all sorts, but they always produce enough growth to replace what's been eaten.

I don't know why, but I have a theory.

I give my nasturtiums a hair cut. I always take off the top most leaves to make the flowers underneath more visible. I know that cutting them also stimulates more growth, but perhaps this alone is not why it seems to work. I wonder if doing this also makes it easier for the birdies to see what's in there, and maybe they eat the caterpillars. I know the resident blackbird loves hunting out slugs and snails, but I don't know if she eats caterpillars too.

Or it could be that I always grow nasturtium in large numbers. Its my favourite plant for many reasons, not least because its an excellent filler.

 

I would never have guessed

Thanks for the tip about giving them a trim: I wouldn't have thought about that: I'll give it a go (just not *this* year!)

 

thanks everyone for your help change of plan i think we are going to make some planters to put my flowers in instead lol i planted a bush the other week just a cheap one from morrisons and the dog has peed on it so much he has burnt it i think its going to die i have a large red robbin bush that was already here and a butterfly bush and they are both fine he must pee up those too but there ok we thought if we make some planters and just put them arount the edge of the garden for now and see how we go with them blomin dog lol

 

@fat controller this is a lovely plant... is lavatera evergreen? or does it die back in winter?