What type of hedge?

Ye Gods, @Mike77! You'd need to be confident that the Bamboo species or variety wasn't the invasive kind.....A couple of years ago, I had to replace a butyl rubber pond liner that had been pierced in 8 places by bamboo shoots!

 

Ah @noisette47 you understand the issue then! The trees that are already there had been there since well before we moved in so id assume the underground heating system doesn't go over that side. Good to know though! I was wondering whether a small box hedging in the middle or around the lawn would be acceptable as they are so slow growing I thought the roots may never affect it. Would just be nice to have something across it other than grass!

 

Yep folks.....be very, very sure any bamboo added to the garden is not the invasive sort.....and most of them are so do your research first. Eventually they usually present real problems ...the daleks of the plant world

 

@Verdun is right. I would not plant bamboo, non native invasive plant that does nothing for wildlife.

 

Just sharing this picture as it is my favourite garden design from Chelsea about 2 years ago. Got silver - utter disgrace as I think it should have got gold (the expert judge that I am). It was the English chappy who does the Scottish gardening prog (totally forgot both names as too much migraine medication this week!)

What do you think this hedge is? Could it be Holm Oak or Yew? I love the topiary bit of Yew - I bet it costs a pretty penny.

 

Come on Snorky....we know this is your garden. You are right it deserved gold

 

Ha ha I wish. It is absolutely beautiful. It was love at first sight!

I am trying to model my garden on it where I can though. The back garden project is almost complete....a couple more things to finish off and can be getting on with planting. I'll update my garden project thread (if I can find it!)...

 

I don’t think the hedge in the picture is holm oak. I’ve never grown it but I think it’s fairly slow growing. The places I’ve seen it growing well have been coastal or near coastal so maybe susceptible to frost . Best check.

 

I used my captor bed as a chicken run. All 400m2 of it
This is what I meant about needing a book or internet site that gives accurate info about the root habits of the plant kingdom. I wonder if insurance Companies have such info? The only other way to be sure is to trawl through the available info for each potential planting.
Planting around the edges should be OK, if you're sure you know where the pipes finish. As you know, the drawback on clay is that, ideally, you need to prepare the planting hole(s) or trenches thoroughly. Do you know at what depth your captor pipes are buried? Over here, 60cm is standard, hence the rule about (very) shallow-rooted ground cover.
I'd opt for an area of gravel or slabs with a striking solar-powered fountain or statue or sculpture, chunk of driftwood, rock.....anything in scale with the area.

 

Yes shame there isnt a book on roots-i was just thought that whatever you see above ground it is likely to be mirrored underground-obviously that cant always be the case!

I'll ask the other half what deptth the pipework is.

I like the idea of some nice water feature. We were also going to slab an area at the front so we can use it in the summer but need some "privacy" plants

 

Thanks @Redwing...weve actually got one here on site and it grows like mad.



Shame the show garden pictures arent clearer-My best bet is that they are yew also.

 

Another possibility which has not been mentioned is Hornbeam, a member of the beech family which grows well on clay. It responds well to being a hedge and holds onto it's dead leaves through the winter until the new buds push the old leaves off as they begin to grow. Not evergreen obviously but because it holds onto the leaves it provides privacy. your garden aspect is similar to mine, farmland surrounding an ex-farmyard. I still like the idea of mixed hedges, very good for wildlife and because things grow at different rates it provides a nice informality which is pleasing IMO. Good luck whatever you decide.

 

Campbell robusta is clumping and not invasive. I don't think I would necessarily recommend planting besides a pond though.

 

I seeded clover all around the base of mine and the insects loved it. Granted the bamboo does little for them but neither do lawns. They're there as an evergreen screen

 

Ok a bit of a daft idea maybe but.......... box hedging in substantial classy planters ?