@Fairygirl I did think Daphne but think it would hate the conditions. Perhaps the lovely green flowered Skimmia @Silver surfer To get height there needs to be space for the necessary roots. Then you think of grasses but not sure they will be happy with shade. Carex Buchananii but not what @BouncingBack is looking for. Even the scent of sweet box is stronger with sun
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
I am not sure which of your neighbouring gardens contains the cat poo that heats up in the sun, but if you planted something thick and tall, would that create shade on the offending garden and help to keep the smell down?
Another thought is that there is a plant that cats hate - will try to find the name - if you plant that next to the offending garden, that might deter the cats from coming as close as they are and that might help a bit, especially if your garden is part of their exploratory territory.
Another thought is that there are some viburnums that can have a very strong scent - not always deemed pleasant, but strong. Maybe one of those - apologies I am not sure which ones - could out-compete the offending smells.
Maybe somebody else knows what I am thinking of! Edited to add that Coleus caninus is the plant that I was remembering is said to deter cats.
Sorry to witness the demise of the forum. 😥😥😥😡😡😡I am Spartacus
Thanks to everyone for these ideas, I will have a look around the garden centre on Saturday and see whether I can find them.
As I have to move the lavender, herbs and rose (especially the rose as it was expensive!), and we have this empty space in the smelliest corner (see pics), would they all do well in pots there? I have no idea what to do with this corner otherwise. It's very sunny for most of the day and I did consider a compost bin but it's not a good place for it, and nor do I want to do the work involved in that on top of everything else. It's a science in itself!
Pics of the full garden for context. It's very small.
@clematisdorset the empty top corner is directly next to the area their cat soils on the other side of the fence. Thankfully it doesn't come into our garden since we paid a huge amount to block off the bottom of the fence where it came under last year with sleepers and the beds. I don't want to plant anything on that side which will be taller than the fence, both because the neighbours are difficult and because it will give the cat something to jump into. I picked up a couple of the scaredy cat plants (that may be what you're thinking of) but couldn't get past the tills with them because they smelled so awful and I didn't want them in the garden! I have a very sensitive sense of smell.
So the empty corner - do I move these plants into pots there?
I think so too, I would still have enough room for these other plants in pots as well. Thank you for the recommendation!
We have a small strip of empty gravel out the front of the house, but the earth beneath is compacted sand and builders rubble so it's awful for planting, and everything I had in pots out the front last year was dug up and soiled by the cats. I could try again with the lavender and herbs though, but it would likely just be more money wasted.
I am amazed the cat hasn't walked along the top of the fence. It would only take a bin or something similar on the other side and it would be op there. Perhaps a pot with canes wigwam style. You could then grow annual climbers. The pot would need to be big an therefore expensive if you want to grow something long term.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Certainly doesn't stop them here @GardenerSuze. Anything they can get onto to access fences, and they're in. I'd agree re a tree, or those annual climbers, especially something like sweet peas. What plants go in surrounding pots -if it's tree, will depend on how much shade is created too.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I'm amazed too! It's only a year old and seems to be a small, timid cat. I have seen a larger cat (I suspect the one who was soiling last year until I bought a motion sensor water spray, which I've packed away unless the soiling starts again) on top of the fence. The neighbours have been letting their cat go under the fence into the garden behind through a hole it's made, but were caught red handed a few days ago when the house behind's dog went berserk and the owners were in their garden. The hole has since been blocked so the cat will undoubtedly now look for somewhere else to go in addition to its own garden, which will likely be ours if it works out how to get there.
Posts
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@Silver surfer To get height there needs to be space for the necessary roots. Then you think of grasses but not sure they will be happy with shade. Carex Buchananii but not what @BouncingBack is looking for. Even the scent of sweet box is stronger with sun
Another thought is that there is a plant that cats hate - will try to find the name - if you plant that next to the offending garden, that might deter the cats from coming as close as they are and that might help a bit, especially if your garden is part of their exploratory territory.
Another thought is that there are some viburnums that can have a very strong scent - not always deemed pleasant, but strong. Maybe one of those - apologies I am not sure which ones - could out-compete the offending smells.
Maybe somebody else knows what I am thinking of! Edited to add that
Coleus caninus is the plant that I was remembering is said to deter cats.
As I have to move the lavender, herbs and rose (especially the rose as it was expensive!), and we have this empty space in the smelliest corner (see pics), would they all do well in pots there? I have no idea what to do with this corner otherwise. It's very sunny for most of the day and I did consider a compost bin but it's not a good place for it, and nor do I want to do the work involved in that on top of everything else. It's a science in itself!
Pics of the full garden for context. It's very small.
@clematisdorset the empty top corner is directly next to the area their cat soils on the other side of the fence. Thankfully it doesn't come into our garden since we paid a huge amount to block off the bottom of the fence where it came under last year with sleepers and the beds. I don't want to plant anything on that side which will be taller than the fence, both because the neighbours are difficult and because it will give the cat something to jump into. I picked up a couple of the scaredy cat plants (that may be what you're thinking of) but couldn't get past the tills with them because they smelled so awful and I didn't want them in the garden! I have a very sensitive sense of smell.
So the empty corner - do I move these plants into pots there?
eg Amelanchier alternifolia Obelisk........pics below.
Or Sorbus Olympic Flame
https://www.google.com/search?q=sorbus+olympic+flame&client=firefox-b-d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiJ4rHv4ef-AhXHMMAKHfJ8C3QQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1280&bih=595&dpr=1.5
We have a small strip of empty gravel out the front of the house, but the earth beneath is compacted sand and builders rubble so it's awful for planting, and everything I had in pots out the front last year was dug up and soiled by the cats. I could try again with the lavender and herbs though, but it would likely just be more money wasted.
I'd agree re a tree, or those annual climbers, especially something like sweet peas. What plants go in surrounding pots -if it's tree, will depend on how much shade is created too.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...