Advice on creating a woodland garden
Robmarston
Posts: 209
I have an area of land at the bottom of my garden that is overgrown with trees as in the picture below
I am getting it cleared next week and all that will remain is the 7 large trees, 4 of which are magnificent oaks. This will let a lot of light in as they are to the South of the garden. I want to fill the area with various plants such as Lily of the valley, daffs and crocus etc. I have a couple of questions that I could do with some help with before I begin.
1. The area is covered in ground ivy. I like it but will the flowers be able to poke their way through it or will it stop them from coming through? Should i remove most of it?
2. I would like to plant Lily of the valley, bluebells, daffs, crocus, wild garlic, anemones and many others. Would this be feasible or would they all compete with each other and one take over? Anyone got any suggestions of less common spring flowers that could go in there too?
3. My ideas for planting seem to all concentrate on spring flowers. Are there any low growing summer bulbs that would thrive in this spot and follow on from the bluebells etc?
4. I have also thought of running some climbers up the oaks. I've always fancied a rambling rector and a few clematis. My concern is that the oaks are huge! Would they all scramble to the top and be problematic to maintain or prune because they'd reached so high or is this a good idea? What would be some good climbers to send up there? Of course scent and year round interest is always a bonus.
The soil is acidic and free draining and the area slopes downward away from the garden. I'm very excited about this spot and it's potential so any advice or suggestions overall would be great. The fence there will stay to keep the dogs in as the wood is not secure and there's a cesspit at the bottom of it. I'm hoping that the fence would become invisible as your eye would just look through it at the wonders beyond and the view that will present itself after the clearing. However any ideas of a better invisible fence will also be appreciated. Can't wait to hear your suggestions Thanks
I am getting it cleared next week and all that will remain is the 7 large trees, 4 of which are magnificent oaks. This will let a lot of light in as they are to the South of the garden. I want to fill the area with various plants such as Lily of the valley, daffs and crocus etc. I have a couple of questions that I could do with some help with before I begin. 1. The area is covered in ground ivy. I like it but will the flowers be able to poke their way through it or will it stop them from coming through? Should i remove most of it?
2. I would like to plant Lily of the valley, bluebells, daffs, crocus, wild garlic, anemones and many others. Would this be feasible or would they all compete with each other and one take over? Anyone got any suggestions of less common spring flowers that could go in there too?
3. My ideas for planting seem to all concentrate on spring flowers. Are there any low growing summer bulbs that would thrive in this spot and follow on from the bluebells etc?
4. I have also thought of running some climbers up the oaks. I've always fancied a rambling rector and a few clematis. My concern is that the oaks are huge! Would they all scramble to the top and be problematic to maintain or prune because they'd reached so high or is this a good idea? What would be some good climbers to send up there? Of course scent and year round interest is always a bonus.
The soil is acidic and free draining and the area slopes downward away from the garden. I'm very excited about this spot and it's potential so any advice or suggestions overall would be great. The fence there will stay to keep the dogs in as the wood is not secure and there's a cesspit at the bottom of it. I'm hoping that the fence would become invisible as your eye would just look through it at the wonders beyond and the view that will present itself after the clearing. However any ideas of a better invisible fence will also be appreciated. Can't wait to hear your suggestions Thanks
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Providing there's adequate light, most of the plants you mention will grow. However, you'll need to ensure there's enough moisture in the soil for many of them. If you get plenty of rainfall when the trees are dormant, that may be enough, but it's worth improving the soil considerably where you want to plant. Take a look at some of the online specialists who have plants for shade. They'll give you an idea of other plants that will suit. Long Acre has loads. I'd need to have a think about what might grow through summer. Once you have the tree canopy, it makes it trickier
I think you'd struggle to get clematis or roses growing. The soil will be too dry, especially once the foliage creates an umbrella. They'd need to be planted outside the tree edges in a decent spot. Montanas would probably be ok - once you got them established. Not sure about roses, but someone else who grows them will know about those. Honeysuckles would suit, but again, they need loads of moisture to thrive, so you'd have to plant them where they'd get enough moisture, and guide them in towards the trees. I don't know how easy that would be. It'll be a question of trial and error, and getting the soil well prepped, and then being vigilant after planting. Good mulches will help.
Also.GW last week showed a plant nursery specialising in unusual woodland plants can't remember where it was but might be worth looking at on i player.
Crocus would be inappropriate for a woodland setting, Cyclamen hederifolium would be great
Honeysuckle along the woodland edge ... it'll want its feet in the shade and its face in the sun.
It doesn’t help that I’m in dry E Anglia but, whenever there’s a dry spell, the whole area dries really, really quickly - despite 2 truckloads of compost and a thick bark chip mulch.
Quite a lot survives, but not much really thrives. Things which have done well in the conditions are bulbs (spring & cyclamen hed.), sweet woodruff, red campion, a common spiraea, euonymous, rosa rugosa (thrives!) and quite a few hardy geraniums (nodosums & phaeums especially).
How would it look if you tried to train some of the ivy through the fence to make a sort of ivy hedge?
Native foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea) will be happy in sunny spots among the trees.
Hanging on to hope when there is no hope to speak of