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Posted by FleetingEileenM (U14106338) on Thursday, 29th September 2011
... apart from rhododendrons if possible, which do very well but I'd like something different and wildlife-friendly. Height 5 feet max.
All suggestions welcome.
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Are you after something evergreen? Pyracantha might be an idea because the masses of berries are great for the birds, but it can get a bit unruly.
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, in reply to message 1.
Posted by dean volecape (U1477030) ** on Thursday, 29th September 2011
I'm not sure how shady is shady. Holly would probably do. Hawthorn is also good for wildlife.
Link to this forum: Hedge ideas for shady acid soil please ...
I'm not sure how shady is shady. Also, is it dry shade or wet shade?
Link to this forum: Hedge ideas for shady acid soil please ...
FEM, We want to dig up our sad privet hedge and have been walking around locally seeing what other people have grown successfully, and whether we like it. Laurel seems to flourish here, but we are also thinking of holly, and I think there is a specialist holly centre near here, so we might go and have a mooch round soon.
Rhodedendrons would do well here, but they are apparently very thirsty, and we don't want something that will need a great deal of wataring on an on-going basis.
Hope you find something you really love and which you know will flourish.
Rusty
Link to this forum: Hedge ideas for shady acid soil please ...
One thing with holly though is that it is quite slow growing, at least in my experience it can be, so it might take a while to get an established hedge going.
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, in reply to message 6.
Posted by Adaptery (with brackets) (U13803003) on Thursday, 29th September 2011
Whilst looking for ideas for a new hedge, I found this website:
There is a list of species down the left and you can click on shady sites for a list of shade-tolerant species.
I am thinking of a Viburnum hedge (we do have some sun), as it will cheer up the early spring with its flowers, rather than the dull (dying) leylandeii that we have.
Laurel is becoming popular as a replacement for Leylandeii, as it can be cut back successfully if it over-grows.
Link to this forum: Hedge ideas for shady acid soil please ...
and one thing about laurel is flippin heck do they grow fast!
Link to this forum: Hedge ideas for shady acid soil please ...
, in reply to message 1.
Posted by dean volecape (U1477030) ** on Thursday, 29th September 2011
Just had a thought - if you don't want an evergreen, redcurrants, blackcurrants and gooseberries will all do well in semi-shade (they are woodland edge species) will grow to about 3 foot, and will provide food for people and wildlife. The gooseberries are also fairly intruder-proof if that is an issue. If you need a higher barrier as a visual or sound screen you can always make a small bank and plant on top of that. Redcurrant leaves go a wonderful clear golden colour in autumn.
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, in reply to message 9.
Posted by FleetingEileenM (U14106338) on Monday, 3rd October 2011
Thank you one and all for your suggestions.
Tree surgeons are at this very moment taking down some very large and dark (non-TPO) cypresses on the border between us and our neighbours. Fortunately we and the neighbours are of one mind regarding the general woodland nature of the gardens and want to plant native deciduous trees and shrubs and encourage birds and other wildlife.
So we shall wait to see how much sun reaches the parts which have been in almost constant shadow for many years and make some decisions then.
Link to this forum: Hedge ideas for shady acid soil please ...
My brother has just started a holly/hawthorn/hazel hedge combination as being protective while also good for local wildlife
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, in reply to message 10.
Posted by Adaptery (with brackets) (U13803003) on Monday, 10th October 2011
Hope the hedge removal went well, Eileen.
It is amazing how much things change when you move large trees/shrubs
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, in reply to message 12.
Posted by FleetingEileenM (U14106338) on Monday, 24th October 2011
The area is now free of scrappy old rhodos and a lot of tangled ground ivy. We went to a very good local nursery and have ordered 70% hawthorn and a 30% mixture of blackthorn and some sort of non-rambling rose which will fill the 20 or so yards of border. We"re really looking forward to getting it all planted sometime in mid-November.
There is so much more light in that part of the garden now that the very dark cypresses have gone.
Link to this forum: Hedge ideas for shady acid soil please ...
We have a hedge of azaeleas down one side of our driveway which is rather beautiful in the spring. And a lot of people use forsythia as hedges here and that is also glorious in the early spring
Link to this forum: Hedge ideas for shady acid soil please ...
There's already a long-established gardening club in TVH -
The latest thread is "The Potting Shed – October 2011"
Why don't you re-post your OP there?
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, in reply to message 15.
Posted by FleetingEileenM (U14106338) on Tuesday, 25th October 2011
Thanks Carrick but I'm sorted now. - and this thread seems to have been transplanted to TVH anyway.
I tried asking a gardening question in the Potting Shed once before but no-one replied and my post sank down without trace. It seemed to be a rather chatty thread covering a lot of ground and felt a bit cliquey but perhaps I'm wrong about that. In fact someone actually suggested I posted in TB instead with my query and I did get a response and some help in there.
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, in reply to message 16.
Posted by carrick-bend (U2288869) on Wednesday, 26th October 2011
I did wonder why this thread wasn't in TB, but it seems like someone transported it by mistake, after you put it in the right place to start with! I post in the potting shed occasionally, and, rather than cliquey, it's, like a lot of threads, very much luck of the draw how soon you get a response.
I'm probably typical in that I'm always pleased to see people in there, even when it's apparent it's a one-off question, and there's usually someone who knows about/has tried/or has had the problem that you've got.
Sorry you posted during a lull - when it happens to me, I say "Did anyone have any thoughts about post X?" but I can see why you'd have felt ignored, although it was almost certainly something that could have happened to anyone.
Good luck with the hedge, and, if you've got another query, think about posting there as well as posting in TB.
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, in reply to message 17.
Posted by Sixties Relic SAVE ML (U13777237) on Wednesday, 26th October 2011
I'm so glad that you have included blackthorn on the hedge. Bide your time and you will soon have sloe berries so you can make your own Sloe Gin, Yummy.
And the hawthorn blossom smells wonderful in the spring.
Your birds will love you in the autumn, too.
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, in reply to message 18.
Posted by FleetingEileenM (U14106338) on Wednesday, 26th October 2011
Carrick - thank you for the advice about the Potting Shed. That's a good idea about posting a reminder and reference to an unanswered post, and also asking in TB as well if appropriate
Sixties - yes, sloes and help for the birds and other wildlife were very much on the agenda for this new hedge. Also I heard on the radio recently that after the sloes have done their bit for the gin, they can be made into jam (for adults only!)
Link to this forum: Hedge ideas for shady acid soil please ...
, in reply to message 19.
Posted by FleetingEileenM (U14106338) on Friday, 28th October 2011
Now we have a slight disagreement here about how far apart to plant them. The maximum height is to be no higher that about 4-5 feet.
I had envisaged a single line planted 18-24 inches apart which would eventually produce a continuous fairly solid hedge for wildlife. However OH has started digging holes about 30 inches apart which will make for a gappy effect but will let light through.
As we have ordered 35 plants there would be an awful lot left over if they are spaced out as he wants them.
BUT - I am the main gardener who, unlike him, actually likes pottering around out there and helping wildlife so I am hopeful that I shall win this one, but without bad feeling.
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, in reply to message 20.
Posted by dean volecape (U1477030) ** on Friday, 28th October 2011
For a stockproof hedge Teagasc recommend a double row - they give the distances in this document. They also say that for a really wildlife friendly hedge you have to let it grow to 6 feet (to encourage nesting birds) and leave some taller trees as song perches.
More general hedgy stuff linked to here
Link to this forum: Hedge ideas for shady acid soil please ...
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