West Facing Rockery

I've been fed up with our front garden for years. It's a slope, with steps up to a small flat area in front of our front door. There is a strip of flower bed running down one side of the garden. Nextdoor has a Pampus grass right on our border; there are no fences or hedges, so it hangs over our garden .. it hangs over the flowerbed; and it kills absolutely everything we plant there. As a result the only things that grow in the flower bed are weeds.

For the last few years I've threatend my husband that I'll just turf over the flower bed, but he's consntantly promised that he'll manage it. He doesn't. So now it's time to do something.

I've got hold of a lot of rocks from Freecycle. So I am planning to put a rockery there instead .. shape it a bit more than just being a boring strip though.

The first problem is the annoying pampus grass. Obvoiusly, because it is our neighbours we cannot actually do anything about it. We can't put up a fence as it is out of synch with the neighbourhood. I have proposed to my husband that we put up a piece of trellising. If we are to do so:
- will trellis hold back pampus that wants to straggle in our direction?
- should I be able to grow something up trellis from on top of a rockery?
- if so, are there any climbers that grow well in a sheltered situation .. I like flowery, and preferably scented .. but if that's not possible, then fair enough
- how can we anchor the trellis? It's hard to explain, but basically we will can anchor it at the bottom, but there is no way to make sure it stays upright that we can think of (ie, it might be able to fall over)

The second problem is that the garden is south west facing, and is mostly sheltered because of the pampus grass. From what I've read rockeries should be in well lit areas. - So, should I use alpines as normal, or should I be using something else?
- my husband LOVES heathers; should they be ok?

And of course ... does anyone have any tips that they'd like to share ... pretty please.

Thank you,

Nim

 

Surely if the pampas grass crosses into your property, you have the right to cut it back.

I'm trying to visualise whats going on but a picture would help.

As to the trellis idea, I think its unlikely that much will grow well on a trellis that is holding back a pampas grass.

Heathers tend to grow in the most difficult places

 

You can cut it back flush with your boundary line if you wanted, but in the interests of neighbourly harmony have a word, tell him what you will be doing. If he cares about his plants he will do it for you-I wouldn`t let a neighbour touch my plants and would cut them back.


The idea of heathers is ok if you have acidic soil, you can get a cheap kit from garden centres for a quid and that will tell you.


First piece of real advice I have, find out what you have first soilwise, it never works if you place plants in the wrong place.

 

Should have said, if its acidic you can go for the summer flowering heathers, if not then the winter flowerers are usually OK.

 

Thank you for your replies. We already do cut the pampus grass back. Our neighbour doesn't mind; he's not particularly garden proud; I think it was there before he moved in. The thing is that it looks absolutely attrocious when we cut it back, which is why we want to do something about it. I intended to take a picture today, but forgot. Sorry.