patio with circular bed
Gardenking
Posts: 5
in Plants
I have built a new circular patio and have created a circular bed all around to enclose it. Ideally i would like to plant a small hedge, but dont want it to grow more than about a foot wide or foot high. I know box is slow growing but was looking to add some colour and not have everything green. Can you please help me with some suggestions.
Oh, meant to say would be ideal to have all year colour, but not essestial
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If it's a sunny site and well drained, think about lavenders such as Hidcote or Munstead Dwarf - grey foliage, blue flowers, perfume and magnets for bees. They can be kept compact by pruning back once flowering finishes cutting about an inch into the new foliage growth.
For more colour, look at lonicera nitida which has a golden form or euonymus Emerald and Gold which has green and gold variegated foliage. There's a cream and green version too. Consider also dwarf conifers which can come in a range of colours including glaucous blue, bronze and gold. They respond well to regular trimming for a low hedge. I have one with blueish foliage with a fine white bar in the needle. Don't know the variety though.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
How about Heucheras - they come in a huge variety of colours so you can choose how much of range you go for - they flower in spring.Wouldn't need clipping either!
how about hardy fuchsia as a hedge ?
That's amazing response so far. This is the first ever post on any site ever. I just thought I would never get a reply.
You are right, It is in full sun all day long, i live in Northern Ireland so weather a bit up and down. However the soil is very good and drains well
In the sun all day long and well draining soil; it has to be a lavender hedge
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Lavendar smells lovely and attracts bees and other polinators, easy to propogate and thus share wiht friends!
ILEX CRENATA seems to be the new thing as a box substitute but it is dark green so wouldn't give you the colour you want unfortunately.
I've grown Euonymus Fortunei before and kept it small and trimmed to shape. It is also variegated and you can get it in green & white and also a yellow variegated forms. Why not use this or something similar but use both green and yellow forms and plant alternatively so you get both colours working together? I imagine that in time they would 'knit' together to form a 'multi' coloured hedge? I suppose you could even use something else mixed in to give some red or orange foliage, although off the top of my head I can't think what would suit?!...
Hope that helps...
Higgy
http://higgysgardenproject.blogspot.co.uk/
Cab anyone suggest where online to buy as I live in Northern Ireland and delivery may be a problem. Also spacing etc
Have alook in the RHS Plant Finder. http://apps.rhs.org.uk/rhsplantfinder/
Enter the name of the plant and it comes up with nurseries which stock it. You can then search by area and also check for possibility of delivery. They'll also give advice baout soil preparation and pruning. Good garden centres will also stock lavender - but be sure to buy a hardy variety such as Hidcote or Munstead Dwarf - and the euonymous suggested.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw