Tree planting advice

[Marvtec]

A mix of bamboo would work. Make sure they're clump forming, not runners and plant in a contained trench.

A mix of the golden, green & black bamboo looks lovely, is evergreen and works even with a shallow hedge, which looks to be important here.

[brrapp]

I'd be looking at a couple of multi-stemmed Betula Jaquemontii for that position.

[ManicMunky]

Before any of this, check your deeds for restrictive covenants preventing planting trees.

[boxster9]

I would recommend a prunus chanticleer. A good tree for screening and the leaves remain for well into the autumn season.
White flowers in spring and good autumn colour.


https://www.barcham.co.uk/products/pyrus-calleryan...

[AC43]

Dr Mike Oxgreen said:

Johnnytheboy said:

Photinias are nice but they take a bit of care. They are pretty thirsty, and very hungry.

Thirsty? Don't really agree with that (I find them fairly drought tolerant and they don't like having their feet wet), but hungry - yes. They do seem to be quite heavy feeders, but that's easily dealt with by buying a tub of all-purpose fertiliser granules and lobbing a decent sprinkling of them around the base of the shrubs in early spring, and perhaps again in mid summer. Ten to fifteen minutes' work, tops.

I have a line of Red Robins at the bottom of my garden, and early this year they were looking rather chlorotic - the leaves were yellow instead of a healthy green. I wasn't sure if it was nitrogen deficiency, or iron deficiency, or magnesium deficiency. So I hit them with a triple whammy: some general-purpose fertiliser granules to provide nitrogen and other nutrients, and watered it in with a mixture of chelated iron and Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate). And oh boy, have they done well for the rest of the year!

They are moderately fast growers, but you'll get best results by being slightly more patient and trimming them back slightly each year. This'll result in thicker, bushier growth that provides much better cover. The additional benefit of pruning them in early summer is that you'll get a second flush of the fantastic red shoots. And keep the very low branches pruned back to improve airflow around the base of the plants, otherwise the dampness can cause them to drop their leaves over the winter.

They're not at all difficult to grow, but will reward a very small bit of effort.

Totally agree with all of that.

I've planted them in several gardens very successfully to provide height or screening and will be doing the exact same think in my new place.

[Dr Mike Oxgreen]

Johnnytheboy said:

You are more knowledgeable than me - we've used them in pots in the past and found them thirsty, and I had the in my old garden in fairly ropy soil and they sagged quite easily.

But I imagine in the ground in decent soil they are probably fine.

Ah yes, in pots I can imagine they'll need a decent amount of water.

I'll add to my comments above that I'm growing them in fairly heavy soil, which turns into a solid, wet clay subsoil about 18" down. This is not considered ideal for Red Robin, which is usually described as preferring a lighter, well-drained soil. But I seem to be getting away with it, except if we get a very wet winter then I do get some black spotting on the leaves and some leaf-drop. Removing the lowest branches and keeping a foot or so of clear trunk at the bottom seems to reduce this problem though.

About the only other problem I've had is that I did lose a fairly large one to the dreaded honey fungus, which our garden is unfortunately prone to due to the rotting roots of a dead willow that we removed after moving in. We've had random deaths of various plants with classic symptoms of honey fungus, so I don't think the Red Robin is any more vulnerable than anything else.

[8-P]

Personally Id probably want something that gives me cover all year, so Id probably favour an evergreen tree. I have a bay tree at the bottom of my garden, that works well, its probably 5 foot above the wall. This sort of idea - http://www.warners.com.au/garden-inspirations/the-...

Dont forget, if youve got the money you can buy more mature trees, that way youll get some instant cover otherwise it could be years before you see the benefit. I bought a red robin from here: http://www.impactplants.co.uk/

Turned up next day and only 50 quid for a 6 ft shrub, they are worth a look.

[CSLchappie]

Thanks to this thread I've gone and bought 7 6ft bushy Red Robins today for another part of the garden, Im going to plant them east facing against a 6ft clapboard boundary fence.

I currently have lawn all the way up to the fence and was wondering if I dig out a strip of the lawn and plant them in a border with nothing else, if it'd be okay to cover the border over with some black felt liner and bark chippings - otherwise the dogs will just dig at the bare earth.

Failing that do I just plant them straight into the lawn and let nature take its course? I guess I could mow under the bushes to the front and any grass at the back of the bushes leading up to the fence would die off in time.

[8-P]

CSLchappie said:

Thanks to this thread I've gone and bought 7 6ft bushy Red Robins today for another part of the garden, Im going to plant them east facing against a 6ft clapboard boundary fence.

I currently have lawn all the way up to the fence and was wondering if I dig out a strip of the lawn and plant them in a border with nothing else, if it'd be okay to cover the border over with some black felt liner and bark chippings - otherwise the dogs will just dig at the bare earth.

Failing that do I just plant them straight into the lawn and let nature take its course? I guess I could mow under the bushes to the front and any grass at the back of the bushes leading up to the fence would die off in time.

A good choice, even if I did suggest it! Ignore me if you know all this and there is lots worth reading online and youtube it too but:

Dont plant too near to the border,or each other. They will fill out in all directions and can get quite large, but in a manageable way. I would dig out a strip as you suggest and dig generous holes in particular wide holes. Add in some compost and use some rootgrow on all to get them off to a good start. Feed yearly, keep well watered year one esp in the summer. They can flower, I dont really like their flowers and they can be pruned easily as needed - plenty of online guides on when to cut to get a second flush etc. Bark chips work well and help retain moisture I tend not to bother with the felt but its up to you, enough bark means you probably wont need it.

[CSLchappie]

Thanks, that's helpful. Plants have just been delivered, dogs have already had a good sniff and root around the back of them.

Will cut the grass right back in the morning, rake out roots and turnover. Already got some good compost and bone/fish/blood feed ready so hopefully if the weather holds in the morning I'll get them in the ground for lunch.

Edited by CSLchappie on Thursday 30th March 19:59

[m3jappa]

I have a similar problem except it's 20 linear meters so not cheap. There's an existing cherry which looks like it's been shaped with a petrol disc cutter so as hard as it is I think I'm going to have to remove it
I really like bamboo as I feel they are a structural contemporary plant as opposed to more traditional conifer types. I would love photonias but needing enough for 20m and wanting something fairly instant it's just not going to happen.

I'm fairly sure I'm going to use bamboo, fargasia robusta which will make 4-5m eventually and is clump forming. I'm planting them in a raised sleeper planter which has concrete gravel boards and a wall backing onto the neighbours so I'm hoping they won't spread.

I did think about something like black bamboo but digging a 600mm trench for 20m for a root barrier puts me right off, and I've got a digger I could use.....

[cylon]

CSLchappie said:

Thanks to this thread I've gone and bought 7 6ft bushy Red Robins today for another part of the garden,

very nice, how much and from where? if you don't mind. thx

[m3jappa]

I have a similar problem except it's 20 linear meters so not cheap. There's an existing cherry which looks like it's been shaped with a petrol disc cutter so as hard as it is I think I'm going to have to remove it
I really like bamboo as I feel they are a structural contemporary plant as opposed to more traditional conifer types. I would love photonias but needing enough for 20m and wanting something fairly instant it's just not going to happen.

I'm fairly sure I'm going to use bamboo, fargasia robusta which will make 4-5m eventually and is clump forming. I'm planting them in a raised sleeper planter which has concrete gravel boards and a wall backing onto the neighbours so I'm hoping they won't spread.

I did think about something like black bamboo but digging a 600mm trench for 20m for a root barrier puts me right off, and I've got a digger I could use.....

[Dr Mike Oxgreen]

CSLchappie said:

I predict those are going to get well "watered in"!

[8-P]

CSLchappie said:

Thanks, that's helpful. Plants have just been delivered, dogs have already had a good sniff and root around the back of them.

Will cut the grass right back in the morning, rake out roots and turnover. Already got some good compost and bone/fish/blood feed ready so hopefully if the weather holds in the morning I'll get them in the ground for lunch.

Edited by CSLchappie on Thursday 30th March 19:59

They look good,I actually think you have 1 too many, but thats better than not enough! If plant a foot or so from the fence and take care near your patio too! Ill post a pic up of one I planted a year ago that was pretty much the size of yours so you can see what 1 years growth looks like!

[8-P]

So this is a year on, I planted it outside my boundry to block out my neighbour. Its done well in a sunny spot, but should give you an idea of how much yours will fill out. I reckon its grown close to 1ft since then and I expect it to get significantly bigger.

Sorry rotated it and its still on the side grrr

Edited by 8-P on Friday 31st March 11:20

Edited by 8-P on Friday 31st March 11:21

Edited by 8-P on Friday 31st March 11:23

[elanfan]

Slight tangent - have you considered trellis on top of the wall and a nice climber growing through it. Not sure how safe it would be but what about planters fixed to the top of the wall and you then have a massive choice of what to put in them.

[CSLchappie]

cylon said:

very nice, how much and from where? if you don't mind. thx

£60 per plant from Moores Gardens and Nurseries in Stanton on the Wolds (Nottingham) That seemed to be about the going rate, I'd looked at getting them from Hedges Direct as rootballs and also another local nursery, Seagraves in Barrow upon Soar but would not have been able to see / pick the plants up front. Moores are only 5-6 miles away and they do an informal delivery service so I rocked up yesterday afternoon after weeks of umming and ahhing, picked the plants, paid and got them delivered that evening.

Just finished getting them in the ground, now off to get some edging strips so I can fix down the felt before covering over with bark, typically the dogs didn't want to help when it came to digging the holes, but are now quite willing to go digging in the borders...

elanfan said:

Slight tangent - have you considered trellis on top of the wall and a nice climber growing through it. Not sure how safe it would be but what about planters fixed to the top of the wall and you then have a massive choice of what to put in them.

I had actually been thinking about that for the other side of the garden;



Maybe running a section across the lower part of the wall to the left and then getting some climbers in the borders (next job this weekend if the weather holds)

[CSLchappie]

I've finally got round to doing the work that originally started this thread.

I bought most of the plants and trees last Friday then spent 8-8 all day Saturday digging out the borders and planting them (with the exception of the Laurels that were planted the week before) In the end I plumped for a trio of Betula utilis Jacquemontii (to the left) and a lone Betula Albosinensis 'red panda' by the gate.



In the border down the side I picked a mixed bag that will hopefully fill out the space in time and add blast of colour throughout spring and summer in years to come, Viburnum, a pair of Magnolias, a lone Photinia (pink crispy var) Syringa and a Chinese Black Pearl.



Next jobs are probably a raised planter between the lower edge of the lawn and the seating area and a run of trellis on the lower part of the boundary wall to the far left.

[8-P]

Good work, in a few years itll look great. Keep them all well watered for the next year or so.

Its good to see this. So many people would have left that as all grass just grumbled Im not a gardener or similar when actually a little research, a bit of effort you end up with a great result as you have. Lots of people will comment on how good it looks, they never would with just a lawn.