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Is there anything I could grow under Leylandii to make it look neater? Would like to discourage cats

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  • Pink678Pink678 Posts: 498
    Thank you philippasmith2 looks like the minor could be the better of the 2 then.

  • Pink678Pink678 Posts: 498
    Thank you bédé, it's very helpful to get feedback on the vinca minor.

    The hibernica has an interesting leaf shape, I quite like it. It does the job very well. Also the Epimedium with the fresh green colour, and I have never seen a leaf that shape before. I like the mix of groundcover - overall green leaves, with white and blue and purple dotted around, gives a serene effect.

    I am thinking about aiming to choose things that stay fairly low to the ground, as there is limited vertical height under the leylandii branches.

    This is that geranium-like thing you mentioned from the foreground of my picture, I don't know their name. They have thick red stalks underneath and grow out into a circle from the centre. Rather overtaking the lawn though this year, so I'm pulling the big ones up and sprinkling grass seed in their place. In this picture you can see one, with surrounding greenery from my lawn moss garden.


  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited May 2023
    My garden goes from formal to semi-wild to wild.  The bluebells, ransomes and epimedium are in the semi-wild daffodil area.
     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."
  • Pink678Pink678 Posts: 498
    That sounds lovely, I like the sound of a wild part.
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited May 2023
    I think your wild geranium is: bloody cranesbill.  If you want to keep it out of your lawn, mowing should be enough.  Your moss won't look as good in the summer/

    My wild part is a wood.  Mostly sweet chestnuts with bluebells.  I got rid of the brambles, but have done little else.  Can one improve on bluebells?  The pic was taken to show the ferns that I have added for extra shade on a sun-facing slope..  But they don't show up very well.  

    Ferns might be another answer to your original question.  Most of mine came on thier own and were repostioned.




     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
    I'd choose a mix of ground cover plants for seasonal interest, with different heights, habits, flowers and leaf form. A good one to include is Euphorbia amygdaloides robbiae. It thrives in poor, dry soil in shade, flowers in March and is evergreen, spreading without becoming invasive.  You'll see it here with its characteristic lime green flowers making a home in my sandstone walling (there's some Vinca minor Ralph Shugert alongside it currently well behaved!):




    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • Pink678Pink678 Posts: 498
    edited May 2023
    bédé, I do want it out of the garden! Maybe I need to set the lawn mower lower to catch it.

    That's beautiful, I love the delicate ferns and the bluebells together. I hope bluebells will grow under the leylandii.

  • Pink678Pink678 Posts: 498
    Thank you Plantminded, that is such a good thing to bear in mind, having something to look at through the seasons. I like the look of the Euphorbia amygdaloides robbiae and the Vinca minor Ralph Shugert together on the dry stone wall.

    Just thinking aloud but something I have to consider as well is the height, as there is only 60cm from the ground to the top of the overhanging branches, up to a maximum of 80cm. The whole area I'm planting is all canopied by the branches above. So I can't have things growing too far up or it will fill the vertical gap completely and lose the visual effect.
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited May 2023
    Go for English bluebells (Hyacynthoides non-scripta).  They are invasive, but who wouldn't want to be invaded? 


     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."
  • Pink678Pink678 Posts: 498
    Yes indeed and thank you for the tip and specific name, very much appreciated as I now know which variety to go for!
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