Space wonderful space

In the recent gales my neighbours fence broke - and several sections had to be removed - In the process, the shrubs and things that had come through the fence were cut back. I was quite sad cos I quite enjoyed sharing her shrubs - but then I realised - I had some quite large unplanted space in my crammed 20 year old garden

Wonderful - out came the photos, the books and the dreams - and a list made of just the things I would love to put there.

First on my list, a tree that I have wanted for some time - Sorbus Joseph Rock

BTW - when browsing Roy Lancaster - Perfect Plant Perfect Place, I realised he had a section on rabbit proof plants, and deer proof plants - if anyone is interested.

 

Hi, Fran!

What a lovely surprise!!! It's obviously not going to stay empty for long!!

BTW - re your srbus 'Joseoh Rock' - have you had a look in here - could do with your input, maybe?

http://www.gardenerscorner.co.uk/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=21;t=000295

And the Roy Lancaster list - much the same as in other places, unfortunately :( The truth is, if the rabbits are hungry, as they are round here, where lots of ther territory has been built on, theyll eat virtually anything, even things that are poisonous. They only eat the conifers as a last resort - but they were doing it last winter and spring. The only thing that seems to survive them is daffodils!

It's a good book, though, isn't it?

 

Mmmmm - could be, the berries ar right, but without the leaf or tree shape, difficult to be certain. Sorbus Joseph Rock was a very popular small tree - it don't grow very tall, and is kinda vase shaped.

Never heard of the melia tree.

Haven't got one yet - though got a few other things today. Sadly one group of plants that I wanted for my shady gap - hostas - were no available, so may have to order them on line.

Yes the Roy Lancaster book is excellent - much easier to scan for suitable plants than the RHS encyclopedia :D

BTW - do you know the proper name of the beauty berry - the purply lilac berried thing.

 

Well done Fran, you have the secret of finding the positive side. Over the last two days my neighbour at the back has had a huge beech tree, that was on our border, cut down. I was on the south side and didn't suffer from its shade, but the roots took up so much water that it was difficult to get anything to grow under it. Last year I cracked that problem and planted lots of things that really thrive in dry soil. Now its going to be normal again - so its back to the drawing board! But there is no doubt there is eventually a big positive in there.

 

Our fence went also leaving a similar problem/opportunity. Only problem is that the soil in that section is as dry as dust down to 2-3 feet. If any one has any ideas what to plant please let me know - there is also a 40 ft. conifer about 6 ft away in my neighbour's garden - hence the dryness.
Look forward to gettin some help with this one as it is quite a bi area.

 

Fran,This is the beauty berry you wanted to know the name of...Callicarpa bodinieri var.giraldii
We have two bushes in our garden as follows

 

Sorry that the 2nd one is blurred.It doesn't look too bad on photobucket..Soooorry :D

 

I re- named mine the "ugily bush" and de gardened it! wow but before you all scream at me, it may be OK for you, but they certainly don't like lime.

 

Chobart, if it really is dust - there's not much hope. Under my recently ex tree (a 100 year old beech) it was very dry but in sun for half the day. I found Centranthus rubra (red valerian) thrived wonderfully. Not only is is a nice plant but it flowers for an extremely long time (about 20 weeks). If you cut it back after its first flowers go over it comes back into flower again three or four weeks later. I had both the white and the red.

The other dry tolerant plants I used are Eryngium planum and E. bougati, Verbena hastata, Verbena rigida, Agastache rupestris, Calamintha nepeta, Origanum laevigatum, and an Agapanthus that has yet to do anything. The books say Acanthus and Echinacea, will tolerate dry. But they wouldn't for me. One point to watch is that many dry tolerant plants have tap roots (which is how they survive), but that means that they do not like to be moved.

 

Thanks for your suggestions PeterS I shall start looking for the plants. I have Valerian which seems to self seed in another part of the garden.Acanthus goes well nearby but do not like the problem of trying to move it as the tap is well over 18 ins. down - do not know the Verbenas will have a look for them.

It really is dry and dusty to 2 ft or more so am currently bunging in a load of rotting leaves - I know that there are problems with this approach but it will need a whole lot of compost to help.

 

Kandyfloss, thank you very much. That is exactly the one I was thinking of. I've seen it in other gardens, and would like to try it in part of my new space.