Also, yes, regarding the riparian rights - @philippasmith2 is absolutely correct and that we need to consider looking after the bits on our side. Access will be limited (possible, but once in a blue moon), so I need to be mindful of not doing anything that causes problems along our stretch.
Saying that, we're delving down to the depths later this weekend to spend a day clearing pendulous sedge, which is threatening to take over in a big way. Not sure how much we'll manage to do in one day, but I can't let worry about that distract me from the good things about the garden!
The previous owner may have planted willow because the stream overflowed, and something was needed to stabilise the ground. Might be worth checking with neighbours to see if it does overfill sometimes. On the leylandii, I'm with everyone else. Why plant this horrible conifer when there's so much else? I'd go with a wildlife hedge, so hawthorn, cherry, sloe, elderberry, rugosa or dog rose, that sort of thing. It would need a serious trim once a year though, as otherwise these turn into trees not hedges. If you want a neat trimmable hedge on heavy clay may I recommend osmanthus. There are a few varieties, but the one I have is evergreen, white fragrant spring flowers, and is permanently inhabited by small birds.
You can buy bare root hedging to plant in the winter. A mixed native hedge can be a glorious thing - if you google 'mixed hedges bare root' you'll find some companies that supply various mixes by the metre. You would need to do as has been said - clear the willow and leylandii and do some work to the ground so you can plant whips. You can then chose how dense you want the hedge to be, leave a few gaps for access, etc. As you have the green backdrop, you don't necessarily need evergreen plants and a mixture of flowering and fruiting hedge plants would be more interesting through the year. Maintenance is a hedge trimmer once or twice a year when it's established.
Or a wooden fence on the wire fence line with a much more traditional border in front of it, mixing perennials, shrubs and annuals. Takes more specific care - more gardening if you like - but will look lovely.
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
So I thought, no time like the present, I've hated the leylandii since I moved in, and it was going at some point anyway. Can't get near the willow yet due to the wasps, sadly. Have done what I can with loppers, I now need a pruning saw to finish the job.
Wider view:
Another wider view:
Bit blurry, sorry, my arms were a bit wobbly after a lot of lopping...But, sideways view:
Looking over the fence line, thankfully there's a bit of a ledge where the leylandii had been planted, about 1.5m lower than our garden.
Still unsure which option to go for (fence or hedge), but I've got a few more planting suggestions to look up thanks to you all.
(and the border in front of the fence is another project - there were some nice things in it, and I've added a few more, but a lot needs moving/splitting/dividing/editing as well as planting up with my own style, ie cottage garden type plants.)
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On the leylandii, I'm with everyone else. Why plant this horrible conifer when there's so much else? I'd go with a wildlife hedge, so hawthorn, cherry, sloe, elderberry, rugosa or dog rose, that sort of thing. It would need a serious trim once a year though, as otherwise these turn into trees not hedges.
If you want a neat trimmable hedge on heavy clay may I recommend osmanthus. There are a few varieties, but the one I have is evergreen, white fragrant spring flowers, and is permanently inhabited by small birds.
As you have the green backdrop, you don't necessarily need evergreen plants and a mixture of flowering and fruiting hedge plants would be more interesting through the year. Maintenance is a hedge trimmer once or twice a year when it's established.
Or a wooden fence on the wire fence line with a much more traditional border in front of it, mixing perennials, shrubs and annuals. Takes more specific care - more gardening if you like - but will look lovely.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”