stream-design
Forkitout
Posts: 5
Hi
we've just moved into our house and the garden has been untouched for 20 years. We have a slope down to the bottom which backs onto a stream. Removed about 6ft of brambles ivy and weeds. Now I'm left with a big patch of earth that's really soft and has no proper bank onto the stream, any suggestions for plants that would do well and how would I retain the bank a bit? Very limited funds all spent in the house so I'm taking cuttings where i can
many thanks in advanced
0
Posts
A picture would help get a picture for the bank.
The nature of the stream will affect what you can grow. Does it flood and wash away the banks and your plants in winter or get so low in summer that bog type plants can't grow.
The coloured stemmed dogwoods are good by water if you're looking at shrubs
In the sticks near Peterborough
I'd look at using willow/osier rods that will grow and their roots will stabilise the bank - however they'll need coppicing every few years.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
No doesn't flood and not tidal, comes off the marshes to make the stream
Hmm, that's quite big - you might need to check with the Environment Agency - it'd be a shame to do a lot of planting then find they come along and clear the banks to speed the flow of the water, or dredge the river and dump the spoil on your planting.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
brandy bottle waterlilies wow
you want grass for sitting on tto watch all the birds and dragonflies and all the other exciting things that will be living there.
In the sticks near Peterborough
My brother on law works for the EA said they only cut back the bushes on the other side so it's a blank canvas really
yeh it's really pretty just needs a couple plants, I think I will keep some grass to the edge nice to chill out next to it
What a beautiful place to live
Do you want quite a natural look? If so I would go with things like Filipendula, Flag Irises, Willow...smaller varieties not the big tree and Cornus as already suggested. Treat yourself to a few of these too. Once you have them they self seed well.
Beautiful spot. I'd agree you don't want to hide that view! Something to help knit the ground together- ie some good ground cover, and some good spring planting with bulbs would be a good start. Right time of year now to start getting some in. They'd enhance the view early on then you could gradually introduce some scented planting for next summer when you're out there enjoying it!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...