Thanks for everyone's comments. I will look into Griselinia as an option even though it wouldn't have any flowers or colour. I have what I would call a heavy clay soil although I am no expert at judging but I know it is hard to dig over and nigh on impossible at the moment as it is baked solid. I will look into salvias as well as it sounds as though they would offer colour but perhaps not evergreen. The lawn is a reasonable size, about 20ft by 10ft (not big enough in my wife's opinion). We have only recently had the garden landscaped into 3 level tiers as it used to be all lawn and because of the clay soil the water would run down and hit the house. Now we have a patio with a small retaining wall with a path up to the back of the garden. The lawn is one side and what will be a pond and wide border on the other and then up to the working area at the back. I could lose a little more lawn if I needed to, I just wanted to see if there was a plant that could offer what I wanted without having to do that first. I have added a picture I took a couple of months ago before I added the greenhouse.
Just an alternative suggestion ... If you want to screen the veg patch from the lawn, what about a trellis fence with a grapevine on it? Much less 'blocky' than a hedge ... in keeping with the veg theme as well as looking attractive and providing delicious fruit, and not making as much shade or robbing so much moisture and nutrition from the veg patch. We have a similar 'screen' alongside our 'eating out area' on the terrace ............. along the other edge we have a 'fence' made from an espaliered pear tree ... again it provides an attractive screen without being 'blocky' or causing a problem in the veg patch.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
@chris.edwards.1981LOXhiCaD Another thought might be three wooden obelisks to match the arch?If you have some 6ft canes you could make three wigwams to see if you like the idea. There will be gaps however, but roses have no leaves in winter. I can understand why you don't want to loose any more lawn but a shrub that makes 6ft needs room for it's roots.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Euonymous are always a good choice but not sure you will get the height. White spire would look good with the black wood. You could even add a row of Ophiopogon at the lawn edge. Worth exploring as many ideas as possible.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
A trellis with grapevine is an interesting thought although, having had the garden done recently, we are trying to finish it off on the cheap as we have basically ran out of money. I'd have to have some posts sunk to hold the trellis and would grapevine be evergreen in the NE? The Euonymous would look nice and again, I will look into this. If I was to take off some of the lawn, how much room would a mixed, wildlife hedge need. I quite like the idea of having a hedge where the small birds can dive in an out to my wildlife pond that i'll be putting in opposite the grass?
Ask your lovely dog, I think that one has all the answers.. those ears !.
I caution against too much variegation as I find it screams at you, after a while.
If you want to explore the idea of a rose hedge, I recommend 'Kew Gardens'.. if interested look on David Austins site, under Hedges, and there are some photos. It can be kept quite narrow, but I'd want to cut away a bit more lawn.. I had a plant right next to a narrow path. Removing outward canes in the way is a simple job. It flowers all summer into winter, swarms with hoverflies in summer, and has the advantage of being totally thornless.. and can be kept to any height..
whoops, sorry, I've just seen your post above about wildlife hedge.. your garden is quite formal looking at the moment, it could look a bit messy? as would a rose hedge with petals dropping. I like Griselinia too, I've had a hedge of that, and it's nice and formal.. but not really of wildlife value too much..
Ha, yes, the dog certainly thinks he knows everything. He likes to try and kill everything I plant anyway cocking his leg to let everyone know it is now his.
I love the idea of a thornless rose hedge but, I assume this would not be evergreen? Would it be a wall of twigs in the winter which would mean the bare veg beds would be visible?
A grapevine wouldn’t be evergreen … but do you really need that with the screening effect given by the trellis? The bonus is the fruit and wonderful autumn colour 🍇 🍁
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
How will you keep him off your veg? my dog was like that but we didn't grow edibles.
Yes the roses would be leafless for about 8-12 weeks from Dec to late Feb. Kew Gardens loses its leaves late, and starts early. From early March it will have young new leaves again in most years.. so yes you will be seeing through it for that period.. It's difficult to decide isn't it? such a personal decision and only you can know what suits you best.. but if you really fancy the idea of a wildlife hedge, then run with that and make the best of it... you can always change things later... it's not a long border, and only involves a few plants by the looks of it..
Posts
I have what I would call a heavy clay soil although I am no expert at judging but I know it is hard to dig over and nigh on impossible at the moment as it is baked solid.
I will look into salvias as well as it sounds as though they would offer colour but perhaps not evergreen.
The lawn is a reasonable size, about 20ft by 10ft (not big enough in my wife's opinion). We have only recently had the garden landscaped into 3 level tiers as it used to be all lawn and because of the clay soil the water would run down and hit the house. Now we have a patio with a small retaining wall with a path up to the back of the garden. The lawn is one side and what will be a pond and wide border on the other and then up to the working area at the back. I could lose a little more lawn if I needed to, I just wanted to see if there was a plant that could offer what I wanted without having to do that first. I have added a picture I took a couple of months ago before I added the greenhouse.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Euonymus japonicus White Spire.
https://www.gapphotos.com/imagedetails.asp?view=euonymus-japonicus-white-spire-&imageno=712384
https://www.google.com/search?q=euonymus+japonicus+white+spire&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwj2h4uKuMj5AhUK3hoKHYo8B1cQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=Euonymus+japonicus+White+&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQARgBMgQIIxAnMgUIABCABDIFCAAQgAQyBAgAEB4yBAgAEBhQhgdY1w1g1RtoAHAAeACAAYEBiAGUBpIBAzAuN5gBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1nwAEB&sclient=img&ei=KQX6YrbPF4q8a4r5nLgF&bih=595&biw=1280&client=firefox-b-d
The Euonymous would look nice and again, I will look into this.
If I was to take off some of the lawn, how much room would a mixed, wildlife hedge need. I quite like the idea of having a hedge where the small birds can dive in an out to my wildlife pond that i'll be putting in opposite the grass?
I caution against too much variegation as I find it screams at you, after a while.
If you want to explore the idea of a rose hedge, I recommend 'Kew Gardens'.. if interested look on David Austins site, under Hedges, and there are some photos. It can be kept quite narrow, but I'd want to cut away a bit more lawn.. I had a plant right next to a narrow path. Removing outward canes in the way is a simple job.
It flowers all summer into winter, swarms with hoverflies in summer, and has the advantage of being totally thornless.. and can be kept to any height..
whoops, sorry, I've just seen your post above about wildlife hedge.. your garden is quite formal looking at the moment, it could look a bit messy? as would a rose hedge with petals dropping. I like Griselinia too, I've had a hedge of that, and it's nice and formal.. but not really of wildlife value too much..
I love the idea of a thornless rose hedge but, I assume this would not be evergreen? Would it be a wall of twigs in the winter which would mean the bare veg beds would be visible?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Yes the roses would be leafless for about 8-12 weeks from Dec to late Feb. Kew Gardens loses its leaves late, and starts early. From early March it will have young new leaves again in most years.. so yes you will be seeing through it for that period..
It's difficult to decide isn't it? such a personal decision and only you can know what suits you best.. but if you really fancy the idea of a wildlife hedge, then run with that and make the best of it... you can always change things later... it's not a long border, and only involves a few plants by the looks of it..