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Thick hardy evergreen bush to hide oil-tank, please.

Skylark001Skylark001 Posts: 75
in Problem solving

This is the view from one of my living-room windows.  Not very pleasant.  So what could I put in that big plastic pot, please?  (Underneath the pot is a screed of concrete.)

It needs to be a bush which is hardy, which thrives without any sun (beside the north-facing wall of the house), which is thick and dense, and of course it needs to be evergreen.

Thank you.


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Posts

  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    Without sun ……..that’s a hard one , maybe some sort of spruce ?
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    edited March 2023
    Either lonicera nitida or a heat pump  :) You may need a bigger pot though (for the lonicera, that is)


    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    I used the large leaf variegated ivy - Gloire de Marengo to surround my oil tank using a similar trellis structure as described by @CatDouch .  The ivy was planted in the ground tho so whether it would work in a pot is somewhat debateable.
    As long as you can leave enough space around the base of the oil tank ( both for stability and ease of filling ), you may be able to get away with trellis and planting against the LH side if the ground is suitable and another trellis set in the concrete over which to train the ivy to eventually cover the front of the tank ( ie your view ).
    Hard to tell from your pic as to what you have growing on the LH side and whether planting is possible.
    Sticking a bush/tree in that size of pot particularly when it sits on slabs/concrete would take a bit of doing to cover the tank and take some care over time.
    As a temporary measure, a climber of sorts in the pot - Clematis, Honeysuckle or whatever you think would suit the aspect would at least give you time to think and see whether it would be worth your while to go for a more permanent structure.
  • Songbird-2Songbird-2 Posts: 2,349
    edited March 2023
    @Skylark001 , We planted an Osmanthus  Burkwoodii ( hardy) behind our garden shed . Similar to  your tank, it is in deep shade, very little sun and although not growing fast it is growing away steadily and has had little flowers on it every year.
    Alternatively, Griselinia  ( evergreen) may be ok. We have many in our garden and one is in the shade most of the day with very little light. Very  low maintenance and it is nearly at the top,p of a six foot fence after two to three years. Mind you, they are all planted in the ground ( pot may/ will restrict their growth) with enriched soil around them. If you could get a shrub etc into the ground there ( maybe lift a slab or two?), enrich the soil and give it a good turn over, add compost, manure and so on, mix well together, then you would have a much better chance of success than in a pot imo. Good luck!
  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    If there really is absolutely no sun I doubt a clematis would grow well there . It’s certainly a dilemma. I still think a larger pot and a spruce or some sort of ‘ Christmas’ type tree  🌲 is the way to go .
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    Fatsia japonica, grown as a multi stemmed plant would block that view, it’s evergreen and happy in shade.  You may need a larger pot after a while.
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • robairdmacraignilrobairdmacraignil Posts: 782
    I agree with the suggestion of Osmanthus burkwoodii and also that the ground is a much better place for most plants in the longer term so if there was a way to break up the concrete and put the shrub you choose in the ground it might work better. Other options for shade would include Sarcococca, Aucuba and Mahonia.

    Happy gardening!
    https://www.youtube.com/user/sustainableveg/videos
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited March 2023
    I would second the Fatsia and Hedera (ivy) suggestions.  For the ivy, I would choose colchica.  You could plant the root in the soil to the left.  Some trellis or plastic messhing would help the ivy, and do a bit of tank-hiding pro tem.

    The advantage of shade is that the tank will not get hot and smell of oil.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    Another option would be a tall planter/trellis combination which you could plant up with ivy for screening, plus some seasonal colour at the base such as hardy geraniums, shade tolerant grasses like Hakonechloa or Hostas.  An adaptation of one of these arrangements might suit:  Rowlinson Garden Products - Garden Creations (rowgar.co.uk)
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


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