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Plants suitable against a sunny retaining wall

deb.pidsleydeb.pidsley Posts: 3
in The potting shed
I am wary of roots damaging wall foundations from bitter past experience.....can I please have suggestions for low maintenance shrubs, that’s roots are not too deep. Thanks

Posts

  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    Hebes, parahebes, lavender, potentilla.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • deb.pidsleydeb.pidsley Posts: 3
    Thanks for those suggestions. I was after larger shrubs....but then I suppose the roots are deeper/wider with them! Which is what I’m trying to avoid. 
  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    Might be more help to post a photo and let us know how tall you would like the shrubs.
    Nothing should be planted right up against the wall but at least 12 to 18 inches in front .
    Does it have to be a shrub or have you thought about roses or clematis?
  • AthelasAthelas Posts: 946
    Choisya might be nice, and ceanothus (but it doesn’t live for long)

    Yes a photo would be good 
    Cambridgeshire, UK
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    How wide is the border you will be planting in and how tall is tall?  If you want tallish and narrow, the Berberis Rocket series is about 1.5m high (fiberous roots so not invasive) and there are some smaller, evergreen conifers that might suit (not leylandi!!). If you have a wider space there is more scope. Most shrubs won’t invade or damage foundations, but you do need to consider width as well as height to give them space to grow, thus how far out you plant them.

    Another question is soil type. If it’s heavy clay, some hate that, others love it. Also if it is acid (see if any neighbours are growing camellias or have blue hydrangeas) or alkaline has a bearing on what will grow well in your garden.
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • deb.pidsleydeb.pidsley Posts: 3
    Thanks for all the suggestions. I can’t post a pic of the wall as it hasn’t been built yet! I think I’m looking for shrubs that grow to about half a metre. We we on clay soil.
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