What do I plant in this big gap

Pity I cant find any of it in late summer growth, it does get very big each year.

 

@pete, do you keep all the new shoots that emerge after pollarding or do you selectively remove some?

 

I remove some as it can become a tangle, plus the ones you leave are bigger and stronger, I'm rubbing out a few buds now, that's all it takes really.

When I cut back at the end of the season I leave a stub of the current years growth with a couple of buds on it.
I dont go back to the main stem each year, I think that is a bit too drastic.

 

Thank you @pete, that’s very helpful .

 

Re the perennials @Plantminded - they can often get quite big here due to conditions, because the moisture and then enough heat, so they need staking properly, and even then the wind/rain can flatten/batter them quickly. They need dividing and deadheading and often need moved because, despite the shorter growing season, they'll get bigger than expected [those conditions again] so yes - shrubs and trees are much easier for me!

 

OK all, I’ve been having some thoughts

What do you all think of the idea of a run of evergreen topiary balls running along the red line through the middle to divide up this big bed? I was thinking either pittosporum or ilex crenata. The viburnum marked is still very small but I hope to have that umbrella shaped eventually (lord knows how long that’ll take )

Edit: I'm now also considering Yew

 

Monty Don recently planted some Yew topiary on his garden and they looked very good. That's what I'd go for @latimer. Personal loans available on request !

 

@Plantminded I've not managed to catch any episodes of GW this year so far, I'm assuming it was on there? Any idea which episode? And don't worry, I'll be buying tiny little bare roots and watching them grow in frustration, my teeny tiny budget couldn't even afford a single topiary ball!

 

If you enjoy clipping topiary and keeping it up then that would be fine. I think perennials would be less work and prettier though. If you would like a tree then something light and airy like an Amelanchier, I think @Plantminded suggested it earlier) could work, spring flowers and autumn colour.

 

Hi @Busy-Lizzie good to see you again!

I know I probably am making a rod for my back in terms of having to keep the hedge trimmed but I need to add some structure to that bed, I think. It's all grasses and perennials and once we get to the start of the year it all looks so flat. I feel like it needs some evergreen interest.

 

I think I have myself convinced. This sort of thing is really inspiring me:







The question remains, what is the best way to go about this on a smallish budget. I suspect if I want some reasonably instant impact I will need some plants that are of a reasonable size. I can get bare root yew from around £12 (80/100cm) each or root ball from £24 (60/80cm). Is there any reason to not get the bare root over the root ball? Is it just a failure rate issue? At this time of year, am I better off with the root ball and suck up the cost?

And if I decide to say get 5 root ball plants to grown into fairly large balls or boxes as per the image above, how long are we talking about to get to that stage?

 

Yes, it was the current series of GW @latimer, either episode 1 or 2, I think. I like the look you are aiming for but from my experience Yew is very slow growing so that might be challenging for you!

 

It takes several years @latimer , and that's assuming you had perfect conditions for them. Nothing is instant unless you can afford those mature plants.
The other thing to remember is - you need to access them for trimming, so that requires some pre planning, to avoid trampling what they're growing in amongst.
If you want rounded, evergreen plants, you might be better with some of the Hebes that are naturally that shape.
Yew is slow growing too.

 

Argh, gardening is so hard! (or it's not hard and is bloody expensive! lol)

Would you go with Hebe or Ilex Crenata @fairygirl? The hebe seems a little "blobby" and I would like something that's going to hold a good shape. Or do I go back to Pittosporum?

 

I love yew balls and have several but definitely echo @fairygirl comment re access for trimming. I put three in one bed loving the idea of their strong structure surrounded by frothy perennials (bit like the image you posted of yew and lavender). Result of a Chelsea show visit coinciding with a big birthday. Mmm the reality was the yew balls disappeared entirely in summer, plus I couldnt access them easily to trim them until very late Autumn. When they did reappear they weren’t the neat clipped shapes I started with, however much I tried pirouetting earlier in the season. I’ve now given in and just moved them and will be surrounding them with low growing ground cover and/or Spring height so clipping access is easy. Maybe with lavender, clipping for each would be easy to do together but my soil and aspect doesn’t work for that combination.

Hebe are more blobby in shape than a clipped plant but if growing grasses or (summer flowering) perennials access for clipping is always going to be an issue.