I tend to agree with the comment re. the size of plants you are choosing. There are plenty of smaller growing shrubs which would not need to be pruned nearly as much as viburnums. A 1 metre space is not really enough for them and pruning them will affect the amount of flowers you get. If you go into the RHS site you will find a wide range of shade loving smaller growing shrubs.
I had gone for the Sarcococca confusa and Viburnum Opulus Compactum as the RHS website had said they have an ultimate size and width of 1-1.5m. The Viburnum Eve Price I had been advised in person by the nursery it stays small (and I already have one from the same place that after 3 years is the same 30-40cm size as when I planted it) but looking on the RHS website it says 1.5-2.5m so I can see that would either need more space or to be removed once it gets too big.
The plants I am going for in the front garden are almost all based on suiting pollinators or other wildlife rather than being shrubs or a particular type or variety of plant as such. They were chosen from lists on wildlife websites of the most suitable plants to grow to suit insect wildlife all year round.
If some grow too big then they will just have to be removed and replanted later on. I have no problems with something only lasting say 10 years before having to be replaced due to size. I have all the shrubs here in pots waiting to be planted and perennials ordered and paid and waiting for spring delivery so not much I can do about it now!
It always comes down to the growing conditions, and that's why it's often an experiment. What only reaches 1 - 1.5 metres in one garden, could reach 2 m or more in another. Soil and climate are the main factors in how big, in any direction, any plant will grow. I'd be slightly concerned if your Vib. E. Price is still the same size after three years though.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
My absolute mini size shrub is Hedera Ice Cream. Non clinging it makes a spherical shape, that can be used instead of box. It isn't easily available, because it is small I guess it is slow to grow.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
It always comes down to the growing conditions, and that's why it's often an experiment. What only reaches 1 - 1.5 metres in one garden, could reach 2 m or more in another. Soil and climate are the main factors in how big, in any direction, any plant will grow. I'd be slightly concerned if your Vib. E. Price is still the same size after three years though.
Yes, it is all rather like guesswork! The soil in this front garden is on the poor side I believe. The lawn doesn't grow much and bush apples have grown slower and smaller than expected though when there was a self seeded cherry tree then that grew well. Climate is not an issue, it is sheltered and moisture/drainage is fine. There is about 6 inches of topsoil on top of clay and I imagine that it has been a lawned front garden for 60 years and certainly no amendment, only mowing for the last ten years (maybe more) as the previous owner wasn't able to do the garden so paid someone for mowing/hedge trimming but that's it.
The sunny bed in the front garden won't be amended or fertilised as I want to grow things that don't like that (eg lavender, which does well in front gardens around here). If needed I can add organic matter to this shady bed, I haven't yet looked into the fertility requirements for these few shrubs.
Yes, it has surprised me that it hasn't grown as well! One shoot has got longer during the last 6 months so maybe it is going to start getting bigger now? It is in full shade most of the year with some morning and evening sun in summer. It looks healthy enough and is flowering fine so I've just left it to get on with it.
They do like decent, consistent moisture, especially while establishing, so it's possibly been a bit on the dry side, long term. If it's thriving well enough, it may just take longer, but a plant of that size should have been growing a reasonable amount through last year. It's that old solution - organic matter, and lots of it
It reminds me of an interesting chat on a recent thread about rainfall, and someone had posted a link to the rainfall in Norfolk mainly, through last summer. Because of it, I had a look at my records, and it was really interesting seeing the difference. Someone also suggested we should have a thread where posters could put their rainfall totals in, so perhaps that would be quite useful. I don't think people really have any idea of the differences around the country. I find it astonishing how little rain many people have had during the first couple of months of this year, when you'd expect most areas would have ample amounts. I know @Topbird regularly talks about how dry it is in the area she's in.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Tolerating shade, and thriving in shade, are 2 very different things.
Exactly! It is very hard to tell when websites like the RHS say "full sun, partial shade" for instance but no hint as to what the plant prefers of the two or whether it is equally happy in both. That is why I thought I would post on here to find out what other peoples' experiences were with these shrubs.
They do like decent, consistent moisture, especially while establishing, so it's possibly been a bit on the dry side, long term. If it's thriving well enough, it may just take longer, but a plant of that size should have been growing a reasonable amount through last year. It's that old solution - organic matter, and lots of it [...] I find it astonishing how little rain many people have had during the first couple of months of this year, [...]
It has been a few dry years for us here (Gloucestershire) and I was unwell and unable to do much in the garden in 2020 and 2021 so it may have suffered with the dry weather then as it was just left to it with no watering. I covered the beds with woodchip a few years ago and it has been topped up again since but needs more this year as it getting down towards soil again and will dry out if I don't replace it. When I get the order of mushroom compost I will see if I can get some on the beds and then hopefully get woodchip after that.
My husband was saying the other day about how little rainfall there has been this February, I think it was less than 10% of normal levels (I can't remember for certain though). I've had to water pots a few times already!
The rainfall problems are certainly becoming more prevalent in many areas @Randommoose1. Very difficult. There's a limit to how many waterbutts or tanks people can put in a garden too. Fine if you have acres of land, but most people don't. The shade dilemma is also tricky, because semi shade covers a wide range of situations. A plant can be in partial shade all the time - ie among deciduous planting, especially trees and shrubs, or it can be in shade for X amount of hours in a day, and sun for X amount of hours. Both would be considered semi shade. For the latter, I think around 3 or 4 hours of sun is determined as semi shade. Again though - in hotter areas, that 3 or 4 hours could be too much ,depending on the plant. The amount is calculated by summer daylight hours, as with full sun.
The joy of the challenges
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
The plants I am going for in the front garden are almost all based on suiting pollinators or other wildlife rather than being shrubs or a particular type or variety of plant as such. They were chosen from lists on wildlife websites of the most suitable plants to grow to suit insect wildlife all year round.
If some grow too big then they will just have to be removed and replanted later on. I have no problems with something only lasting say 10 years before having to be replaced due to size. I have all the shrubs here in pots waiting to be planted and perennials ordered and paid and waiting for spring delivery so not much I can do about it now!
Soil and climate are the main factors in how big, in any direction, any plant will grow.
I'd be slightly concerned if your Vib. E. Price is still the same size after three years though.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
The sunny bed in the front garden won't be amended or fertilised as I want to grow things that don't like that (eg lavender, which does well in front gardens around here). If needed I can add organic matter to this shady bed, I haven't yet looked into the fertility requirements for these few shrubs.
Yes, it has surprised me that it hasn't grown as well! One shoot has got longer during the last 6 months so maybe it is going to start getting bigger now? It is in full shade most of the year with some morning and evening sun in summer. It looks healthy enough and is flowering fine so I've just left it to get on with it.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
It's that old solution - organic matter, and lots of it
It reminds me of an interesting chat on a recent thread about rainfall, and someone had posted a link to the rainfall in Norfolk mainly, through last summer. Because of it, I had a look at my records, and it was really interesting seeing the difference.
Someone also suggested we should have a thread where posters could put their rainfall totals in, so perhaps that would be quite useful. I don't think people really have any idea of the differences around the country. I find it astonishing how little rain many people have had during the first couple of months of this year, when you'd expect most areas would have ample amounts. I know @Topbird regularly talks about how dry it is in the area she's in.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
My husband was saying the other day about how little rainfall there has been this February, I think it was less than 10% of normal levels (I can't remember for certain though). I've had to water pots a few times already!
The shade dilemma is also tricky, because semi shade covers a wide range of situations. A plant can be in partial shade all the time - ie among deciduous planting, especially trees and shrubs, or it can be in shade for X amount of hours in a day, and sun for X amount of hours. Both would be considered semi shade.
For the latter, I think around 3 or 4 hours of sun is determined as semi shade. Again though - in hotter areas, that 3 or 4 hours could be too much ,depending on the plant. The amount is calculated by summer daylight hours, as with full sun.
The joy of the challenges
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...