Newcomer would like to plant a bush/nettles

Hello there ââ?¬â?? I am a total newcomer to gardening. I have just moved into the ground floor of a property which is great apart from one thing. itââ?¬â?¢s at the end of a terrace, and is bordered by a road on that side. The fence is dilapidated and there are a few plants there but apart from that itââ?¬â?¢s virtually an open hole onto a public pavement.

Now, I live in hatfield in Hertfordshire and the area isnââ?¬â?¢t ââ?¬Ë?tooââ?¬â?¢ badââ?¬Â¦but it still concerns me sometimes, since if no-one is in the house then a would-be burglar could just walk through the plants and chip away at the back door. Iââ?¬â?¢m from London and thatââ?¬â?¢s certainly what would happen there :D


Apparently the landlord won�t shell out for a fence or bushes so I�m going to have do it myself if at all. Ideally, I�d like to plant a thick bush that covered up the hole so that there was at least an obstacle to anyone wanting to enter via that unguarded side of the property.


What id like to know is basically would it be possible to plant something, say, now and have it blossom by late autumn. Also, what type of bush should I recommend and what type of soil is suitable for this kind of thing..the basics really.

If anyone could throw any basic pointers my way, that would be most appreciated

Ben

 

Hi Ben.
I had some horrible kids next door several years ago and the little gits were always pushing through my conifer hedge where there was a slight gap so I planted a Berberis(barberry)and Pyracantha(firethorn).I bought big plants for instant effect and they did the trick :rolleyes:
Oh...and they looked nice as well :D

 

A nice friendly holly bush shoud do the trick ;0


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I live on a corner in a cul de sac it is a magnet for the local kids I put wire netting up as I thought cheap and effective the Cotoneasters, pyracantha.and Berberus all growing through nicley and I do not intend to trim them on the road side...

 

Gorse is a good one, not easy to get hold of though, in more ways than one. :D

 

Ben
Fence panels and posts are not that expensive, compared to the peace of mind they bring, and specially if you have a family. And they look good when sitting in the garden. Failing that have you though of Razor wire. It is very "instant" but a tad antisocial. :D
Nik

 

Pyracantha, definitely! I had a stretch of it in front of my ground floor flat to stop the local little darlings playing footie and using my wall as a goal! Worked a treat!

PS Hatfield's not that bad, actually, tho it depends where about you are.

 

Gorse, berberis (thunbergii), Holly (slow growing though and you need male and female for berries which can take up to 20 years before the bush matures), Hawthorn (a native with superb scented blossom in either white, red or pink varieties) and sloe (blackthorn, Prunus spinosa) will all fill the gap and provide dense protection with some evil thorns and all year colour if you mix them.

Sloe is a very underated, naturalised if not native, shrub with beautiful early, creamy white spring blossom on dark woody branches before the leaves apear. In autumn you have also have the gorgeous dark plum coloured fruits that the local kids will only try to scrump once It lends itself well to layering too which if done properly will make an impenetrable barrier tough enough to deter a determined bull! It does readily spread by suckering though so be prepared to stop it from being too invasive. You will also need a chain mail suit when you are pruning it!

Specialist landcape nurseries should be able to obtain hawthorn or sloe. Cheaper (but longer) is to select from bushes growing wild when in flower (they do differ in density of blossom cover), then in the autumn take hardwood cuttings.

Of course, if all elese fails you can make a traditional Irish shelaileigh from sloe and just set about the neds!