Forum home› Plants

Any ideas to fill this gap?

AFC8AFC8 Posts: 20
in Plants
Morning :)

Does anyone have any suggestions what we could replace this fuschia with? It was lovely but very old and has died so we'll have to dig it up but its going to leave a fair sized gap and expose some very old fence. Im not very good with plants so im abit lost what to put there instead. 

The garden is south facing and this is on the left hand side as you look down the garden from the house. We have a partially clay soil.

Something easy to maintain would be great as we dont get alot of time in the garden. Evergreen would be good but not essential, and i love white flowers. The main thing is we could do with something with abit of instant size to cover the fence.

Any suggestions would be great.

Thanks.
«1

Posts

  • madpenguinmadpenguin Posts: 2,498
    edited March 2021
    Nothing is really going to give you any instant coverage and height but it sounds like another fuchsia might be the answer!
    “Every day is ordinary, until it isn't.” - Bernard Cornwell-Death of Kings
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 8,875
    Are you sure it's dead? It's been a hard winter which probably killed the top growth, but it might still regrow from low down. Have a look closely at the base and see if you can see new growth. If not, you could give it a few more weeks. If it's alive at the roots, it'll grow back once the weather warms up, faster than getting something new established.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • AFC8AFC8 Posts: 20
    @JennyJ @madpenguin Hi, thank you both for your replies. I did wonder about that because we had a blackcurrant bush a little further up that side which also looked dead but we found green growth far down so we cut it right back and its got new growth on it now, but this one ive cut some right at the base to see and its just brown and brittle :/  maybe i should give it abit longer to see. Would be lovely if it came back.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 8,875
    Good luck! Some of my hardy fuchsias are only just showing new growth and some aren't yet, and I have dry sandy soil that warms up relatively early, so waiting a bit longer won't hurt.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 8,875
    And if it is dead, there's pure white hardy fuchsia, Fuchsia Magellanica "Hawkshead", and a slightly blushed lilac/pink one, "Whiteknight's Pearl" that you might like to consider as a replacement.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • AFC8AFC8 Posts: 20
    @JennyJ Thanks Jenny, ill give it abit longer and keep my fingers crossed. Ill take a look at the white ones too though id love a white one :) thank you.
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 21,744
    When I had hardy fuchsias I used to cut them right down at this time of year. They would grow from the bottom, but not quite as early as this. They were "Riccartonii", hardy, purple and red.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • AFC8AFC8 Posts: 20
    @Busy-Lizzie thank you, ive just googled that variety i think it could be what this one is. Ive got abit of hope then that it might come back. Fingers crossed :)
  • B3B3 Posts: 25,252
    Have you done the scratch test?
    Scratch a little bark with your fingernail. If it's green underneath, it's alive. Try a few branches as some die off anyway.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • AFC8AFC8 Posts: 20
    @B3 hi, thank you. Yeah i did try that i couldnt find any green :( i did only try a couple though so ill try a few more.
Sign In or Register to comment.