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Identification of shrub in garden

michaelkenworthy1michaelkenworthy1 Posts: 13
edited February 2021 in Problem solving
Hi, I have two shrubs in my garden that I’d like to replace due to wind burn. Ideally I would like the same or similar, but I don’t know what they are. The 5th photo shows them in good health around 13 years ago, but the rest of the photos were taken today, showing the very poor condition they are now in. The leaves are very spikey and we’re once a lush green colour, but are now very patchy.  Can anyone help to identify them?

Thanks
Mike


«13

Posts

  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318
    Hi Mike, I am no expert but they look like yew. Do they have red berries?  Hopefully someone who knows will be able to help you.
    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
  • MarlorenaMarlorena Posts: 8,705
    ...if you look at Cryptomeria japonica 'Vilmoriniana' it may be the same or similar to what you have there..
    East Anglia, England
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/5015/i-Crypomeria-japonica-i/Details

    If @Marlorena is correct it is a Japanese cedar and you should be able to coppice it to renew it.  It will look awful for a while but surely no worse than its current condition and should then recover.  You could take some cuttings form the green parts as insurance.

    Assuming you do coppice it, let the rain get at the soil below until it's had a good soak and then give it a generous handful of slow release fertiliser and a good thick mulch of well-rotted manure or garden compost to improve the soil.

    I would, however, worry about the same thing happening again as it looks like it's in a quite exposed position so I'd be inclined to get them out, roots and all then refresh the soil and plant something better suited to that spot and the amount of soil available.

     
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    I may becompletely wrong but I think it has the look of a juniper... maybe a Juniperus communis cultivar.
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • michaelkenworthy1michaelkenworthy1 Posts: 13
    @Herbaceous. 

    Thanks for your post. No berries on these I’m afraid!

    Thanks again!
  • michaelkenworthy1michaelkenworthy1 Posts: 13
    @ Marlorena
    Thanks for your post. I have just googled Cryptomeria japonica 'Vilmoriniana' and it does look very similar to this. 

    Thanks 
    Mike
  • michaelkenworthy1michaelkenworthy1 Posts: 13
    @Obelixx
    Thanks for your post. Coppicing sounds like an idea, but I do take your point about the same thing happening again.

    Thanks
    Mike
  • michaelkenworthy1michaelkenworthy1 Posts: 13
    @Liriodendron

    Thanks for your post.

    Mike
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    I don't think it's windburn. I think it's lack of water.
    The bases are pretty much surrounded by concrete. 
    How would rain get to the roots?
    Devon.
  • michaelkenworthy1michaelkenworthy1 Posts: 13
    @ Hostafan1

    Yes, could be due to lack of water. However they were in good condition when we moved here. For the first few years they remained that way, but started to deteriorate around 8 years ago, when the patchyness began.

    Thanks

    Mike
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