I thought the weight of my large (and expensive) terracotta pot would withstand puny Rutland winds. Well that was a mistake. The bulk of the olive tree (similarly shaped to these bay trees) caught the gust and the pot was in pieces. Now when strong winds threaten, as they have this weekend, I tie a support around the trunk as SeaHorseFriend suggests and fix it to an adjacent wall. When the wind subsides the support comes off.
Martin, I think you have nothing to fear with snapped trunks and I would abandon the rod idea. I would fix to the wall unobtrusive anchor rings behind the bay tree leaves and, when winds threaten, wrap a tie around the trunk and attach it to the anchor.
To be fair to the trees. Systematic rotation of the planters IMO is required. Agreed, the addition of a stake as in general staking, may be a bit of a waste. However, a stake could be inserted and then a suitable adjustable tie be attached from the stake to the wall.
I had two standard hollies in very similar containers. The wind cowped them, but there was no chance of the trunks snapping. We just moved them slightly nearer the house.
They're going to look pretty ugly once you start tying stuff round them and attaching them to the walls, not to mention the problem of those rubbing if not done correctly. I would agree that having them against the other wall means you don't have to symmetry you'd like, but if it's a choice between the two, I know what I'd do. I'd then choose something more suitable for the doors, and find somewhere more suitable for the bays I'd also agree that the proximity to salty winds won't be great for them anyway.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
If one gets more battered by the wind they soon won’t look symmetrical anyway ... and as Mike says, they will need rotating regularly to prevent uneven growth, even without the wind problem.
Not only would I rotate the containers as he recommends, but I would regularly swap one for the other ... exchanging places, so that they experience similar conditions as much as possible.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I hope you go to the gym regularly! Moving those containers around will be hard work.
I always feel so sorry for specimen trees growing beside front doors, wind and sun scorched, dead bits hanging off them in bone dry soil. Just to please the wishes of their human owners. We gardeners are often guilty of trying to force living plants to grow in locations, soil or climates unsuited to them, perhaps it is the challenge. Symetry is not the question, there are plenty of plants which would love to be growing near the sea in a windy location, which could give you a similare result, even if not exactly the same look. Your trees will need so much watering during the summer months, a few gallons 2 or 3 times a day to keep evergreens going in pots, even large pots.
It's pretty easy with a sack barrow on paving I think that's a pretty harsh comment anyway. All gardens are phoney, regardless of the style or the planting, and we all experiment at times.
Phormiums would be perfect at those doors, and would need virtually no attention. Hope you get a good solution anyway @Martin Gardener
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I would fix to the wall unobtrusive anchor rings behind the bay tree leaves and, when winds threaten, wrap a tie around the trunk and attach it to the anchor.
Thanks. I think I will go with this solution. When you say wrap a tie, what had you in mind? Something rubber like this tree buckle?
To be fair to the trees. Systematic rotation of the planters IMO is required.
Yes I regularly rotated them during the spring\summer months. Is there any need or benefit in rotating them in autumn\winter when they are not growing?
I hope you go to the gym regularly! Moving those containers around will be hard work.
I always feel so sorry for specimen trees growing beside front doors, wind and sun scorched, dead bits hanging off them in bone dry soil. Just to please the wishes of their human owners. We gardeners are often guilty of trying to force living plants to grow in locations, soil or climates unsuited to them, perhaps it is the challenge. Symetry is not the question, there are plenty of plants which would love to be growing near the sea in a windy location, which could give you a similare result, even if not exactly the same look. Your trees will need so much watering during the summer months, a few gallons 2 or 3 times a day to keep evergreens going in pots, even large pots.
You are right they weigh an absolute tonne! However, because they are on hard flat paving they are relatively easy for me to turn them around.
Bay trees I read on the RHS site do not require lots of watering. They like to be kept moist and for the water to run through rather than collect at the roots. I live in Ireland where the weather is never very warm, so a watering once or twice a weeks seems to do it. Maybe more frequent if we got really hot weather like over 20 degrees.
I agree that in theory they are the not right trees for my windy coastal front door. I only realised that after buying them. However, they have done quite well out my equally windy back over the last two years so I will give them 12 months at the front to see how they fair. What would you suggest as an alterntive to bay trees?
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Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Martin, I think you have nothing to fear with snapped trunks and I would abandon the rod idea. I would fix to the wall unobtrusive anchor rings behind the bay tree leaves and, when winds threaten, wrap a tie around the trunk and attach it to the anchor.
They're going to look pretty ugly once you start tying stuff round them and attaching them to the walls, not to mention the problem of those rubbing if not done correctly.
I would agree that having them against the other wall means you don't have to symmetry you'd like, but if it's a choice between the two, I know what I'd do.
I'd then choose something more suitable for the doors, and find somewhere more suitable for the bays
I'd also agree that the proximity to salty winds won't be great for them anyway.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I always feel so sorry for specimen trees growing beside front doors, wind and sun scorched, dead bits hanging off them in bone dry soil. Just to please the wishes of their human owners.
We gardeners are often guilty of trying to force living plants to grow in locations, soil or climates unsuited to them, perhaps it is the challenge. Symetry is not the question, there are plenty of plants which would love to be growing near the sea in a windy location, which could give you a similare result, even if not exactly the same look.
Your trees will need so much watering during the summer months, a few gallons 2 or 3 times a day to keep evergreens going in pots, even large pots.
I think that's a pretty harsh comment anyway. All gardens are phoney, regardless of the style or the planting, and we all experiment at times.
Phormiums would be perfect at those doors, and would need virtually no attention.
Hope you get a good solution anyway @Martin Gardener
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Yes I regularly rotated them during the spring\summer months. Is there any need or benefit in rotating them in autumn\winter when they are not growing?
Bay trees I read on the RHS site do not require lots of watering. They like to be kept moist and for the water to run through rather than collect at the roots. I live in Ireland where the weather is never very warm, so a watering once or twice a weeks seems to do it. Maybe more frequent if we got really hot weather like over 20 degrees.
I agree that in theory they are the not right trees for my windy coastal front door. I only realised that after buying them. However, they have done quite well out my equally windy back over the last two years so I will give them 12 months at the front to see how they fair. What would you suggest as an alterntive to bay trees?