Landscaping with Shrubs
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- Carol Wallace
- ngignac
- Carol Wallace
- ngignac
- Garden_Gal
- ngignac
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» Carol Wallace - Foundation plantings
I am SO glad to see you recommend something other than the usual mustache of identical clipped hedges for the foundation. There are so many wonderful shrubs out there that I think it is much more exciting to do a mixed planting. I hope people take that to heart when they read this!-- posted by Carol Wallace
» ngignac - Hedges
Thanks Carol. Yes you're right, I think we can do much more than just a clipped hedge for a foundation. All the varieties are there, and I would want to try them all
Unfortunately, I don't have much space.By the way, I invite people who want to share their shrubbery experiences to add their word. Let us know what you've had good results with or the really bad ones.
Thanks again Carol
Nathalie
-- posted by ngignac
» Carol Wallace - Wouldn't that be great?
To be able to dort of test drive all of them?We have a yew hedge in front of our house. The house is old, and is the sort that reallyneeds a foundation planting. But the previous owner made the mistake so many people do of clipping them the wrong way, so that they got bald and leggy on the bottom because the sun couldn't get at the bottom part. I persuaded my husband to rip out the yews at the side of the house but the ones in front remain because we've had too many other projects going to deal with redesigning the front.
Yews, to me, are funereal. And they may be slow to establish, but once they are, they grow like wildfire and seem to need constant clipping.
Now, in a couple of places we have rhododendrons and evergreen azaleas instead - and that is MUCH nicer.
-- posted by Carol Wallace
» ngignac - Yes, I wish one day to have the land for all the plants possible
Yes, I wish one day to have the land for all the plants possible and grow and grow and growYes when we have an old house, it is often confusing at the start with all the growth already performing full strength. For sure it takes a bit of time to take out and put in place what really fits our needs, but it's worth it. What you are doing Carol is exactly what we should all be doing, wait for when we have the time and the idea, not the other way around. If not, your yard just looks desperate, with nothing to look at but of a battle field ;)
I see that your idea was to reduce the time spent on clipping as well to improve the look of your yard. I think you are doing a great job at your house Carol, keep up the good work!
-- posted by ngignac
» Garden_Gal - upright divergent evergreen
Please! I need help in identifying an evergreen I have commonly seen planted in groups (3,5,7,9). It is an evergreen with an upright divergent habit and a "feathery' appearance. I am interested in using in a foundation planting - fronted with either golden or red barberry. please email if you have the answer:0)Thank you,
Jean
-- posted by Garden_Gal
» ngignac - upright divergent evergreen
Hi Jean,I think you are maybe talking about the Cedar deodara? It is a graceful tree native of the Himalayas and fast growing. But be careful, it could overpower a small space. There is the "Descanso Dwarf" compacta who could be what you are searching. They can be pruned to grow as spreading low or high shrub. Annual late-spring pruning will keep it in the shape you want.
Hope it answer your question
-- posted by ngignac
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