What is this and is it salvageable?

SherlockGnomes

 

This plant was underneath a tree and started to whilt very quickly. It was planted there by the previous owners of the house. I've taken it out of the soil and re-potted it to see if it could be saved. I have no idea what it is and whether or not the yellow spots are disease. Any help would be great. 

Im trying to get a full list of everything in the garden so that I can look after them better. 

 

SherlockGnomes

Not sure why it is appearing upside down. 

 

Fairygirl

Looks like spotted laurel Sherlock - (love the name!) so the spots are meant to be there! Now you've got it in a pot give it a drink and a little bit of shade and it should perk up soon. It would have been struggling under the tree. Once it's got a bit happier and healthier you can find a better spot for it.  They're mainly used for hedging and will get quite big quite quickly, but you can prune back to the size you want.

Always difficult when the pix are up the wrong way!

SherlockGnomes

Thank you for that Fairygirl. I tried uploading it a few times and  it always came upside down. Bizarre. If it is Spotted Laurel, I may struggle to find a space for it in the garden as I have little use for hedges. Unless it could be shaped nicely and kept under control. 

Dovefromabove

This might give you some ideas https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=kJU0Q5Dqqp2foM&tbnid=aTzrrThhQfn6CM:&ved=0CAMQjhw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fphytofiles.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F02%2Faucuba-japonica-spotted-laurel-japanese.html&ei=bsTaUa7lIoaa1AX9jYGoDw&bvm=bv.48705608,d.d2k&psig=AFQjCNHSyoVsC74iKUhYHvEEoPUx63HFKA&ust=1373377967574893 

I must admit it's one of the few plants I really do not like 

 

Edited to say:  Oh , that isn't the link I meant to post, but the one I wanted wouldn't work so that'll have to do, sorry.

Fairygirl

Dove 

Don't care for it myself either but it may be useful if you want a bit of screening Sherlock,or have a gap where the wind funnels through etc. 

SherlockGnomes

Not really Fairygirl. I think it may be a waste of time trying to salvage it as I'm not that keen on that type of hedge. 

Now that's have a small two foot gap where this was underneath the tree canopy, what can you suggest to replace it. The area is a small soiled border against a red brick wall. It will have little to no sunlight as it is shaded by the tree canopy during the spring to autumn. Ideally something with color would be good. 

Fairygirl

Probably some simple ground cover would be best as the ground will probably get quite dry. Periwinkle, Brunnera, Epimedium and Euphorbia come to mind for that kind of situation, and are mostly evergreens.  Flowers are not generally large but you can add bulbs to the mix . I assume the tree's deciduous and you could get quite a nice succession of bulbs before the canopy takes over.  If you can get some organic matter into the soil to improve water retention that will help, you could even put a Hosta or Astilbe there if the soil's not too dry. Think  'edge of woodland' for suitable plants.

I'm sure others will come up with plenty of other suggestions too.

shazza3

if you're not keen on the plant, why not give it away to someone else who be in need of it.

i post mine on Gumtree under Freebies and they go like hot cakes, i've just got rid of lots of china pots that i've bought over many years and no longer need and also plants that i've dug up and no longer have space for.

just a thought if you're really not keen on it 

Busy-Lizzie

I have a spotted laurel, aucuba japonica, because I wanted something under the lime tree and I looked it up and the site said it would grow anywhere even under a lime tree! Mine isn't a hedge, it's just one.