@JennyJ Thankyou. I had always enjoyed gardening from a child. My very first garden belonged to a lady who had many passers by, I also worked for her neighbour.
A gent called to me one day and asked me about a rare plant in the garden, he offered me work at his Elizabethan House. Sadly I had to decline due to family commitments. A beautiful garden that opens to the public.
I joined a newly formed Garden Club and didn't look back. Joining the committee I met and worked for a couple who gardened at national level. They gave me so much help. I mentioned them a while ago on the forum, their grandaughter contacted me here to say thankyou for reviving their memory.
Happy times Suze
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Sounds like you know what you're talking about, @GardenerSuze, what with a lifetime spent around and about gardens and plants. I shall definitely defer to your advice on the forum.
Something that piqued my interest. You "..... worked for a couple who gardened at national level". How do you mean 'at national level' ? Competition-wise, you mean ? Or that they were in demand to work all over the country ?
When there's always biscuits in the tin, where's the fun in biscuits ?
@Winston_The_Gravity_Man Joan and Robin Grout were involved in the Hardy Plant Society on a national level. They were the founders of a plant directory to help gardeners find plants and where to purchase them. This information was put forward to form The Plantfinder that we know today.
Joan and Robin never received the recognition they so rightly deserved. Notts HPS take every opportunity to let it be known that together with the help of other members the importance of their time consuming work is recognised.
Before I knew them both Geoff Hamilton and Roy Lancaster filmed in their 'quart in a pint pot garden'.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Just be aware @deonc7X4QL-O that these 'instant' effects are expensive, and it doesn't mean they'll be straightforward. The Loniceras - nitidas and pileatas grow very quickly from small plants and are readily available. A much cheaper, easier solution, especially at this time of year as anything mature is harder to keep happy over summer.
I had a look at your link - the prices are eye watering! Especially when you can grow lonicera so easily from cuttings.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@Fairygirl I agree regarding the Lonicera. You mentioned Beechgrove Gardens on another thread which I watched yesterday. The trials for small hedges I think you would agree were disappointing, Lonicera nitida did do better than most. The only down side is that it does need alot of cutting back as it grows fast. There is no perfect solution that is economical unless you take cuttings or grow on small plants. @deonc7X4QL-O You might be interested too in the Beechgrove trials, it did take place over a cold winter.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Yes - I mentioned it [Beechgrove trial] on another thread I think @GardenerSuze, but I can't remember which one - probably one of those box hedging ones. The shrubby loniceras are very easy, but the Beechgrove site has very different conditions to mine. East is far drier and generally colder [in temps] than this side, which is wetter. Still cold -as it's windy, but as far as hedging is concerned, that's no problem except much further north, or on the islands. I planted a new hedge last year with L. 'Baggesson's Gold' cuttings from the original plant. They only took about a year or 18 months to be big enough to plant out, and they've had no attention since planting. All doing well. I have a green one which I've done cuttings from as well, to fill gaps in a boundary. It's very good. I think it's called Emerald something or other, but it's a good bright green and grows rapidly and thickly.
I found it odd they were using things like Spireas as alternatives. Not a choice I would look at if replacing box! Even privet is a good, cheap alternative, but like Lonicera, it needs more frequent trimming.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@Fairygirl It is always special when you have grown plants for yourself. You know the source too, not like imported box. I have grown Box from cuttings, as you know a very slow process but worthwhile. It was often recommended but I am not sure I would suggest it now we have blight and caterpillar to contend with.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
I've never used box @GardenerSuze, even though it's easy , and very popular, round here. Climate is well suited for it. I'd rather have something which offers a bit more in the way of a hedge, and even if it was for a topiary specimen, I'm not sure I'd use it. Certainly not if it was for something like a simple cone or sphere. Plenty of better alternatives IMO. We're all different though
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@Fairygirl I agree that the pricing is very unappealing, just factoring in the time I'll have to look at the ugly wall it's currently covering... On balance I think I prefer a solution that gets me back to my current hedge size quickest.
I'm a total gardening newbie (we only just moved into this property and this is my first garden!) so forgive me if this is a naive question - if I grew Lonicera nitida from small plants how many years would I be looking at to reach a hedge of the size in the following photos? The hedge will be mostly South facing and theres currently a Lonicera nitida ball on the end that's doing rather well so I think it's probably pretty favourable growing conditions for it. It's approximately 0.8m high, 0.8m wide & a few metres in length wrapping a conservatory.
Posts
A gent called to me one day and asked me about a rare plant in the garden, he offered me work at his Elizabethan House. Sadly I had to decline due to family commitments.
A beautiful garden that opens to the public.
I joined a newly formed Garden Club and didn't look back. Joining the committee I met and worked for a couple who gardened at national level. They gave me so much help. I mentioned them a while ago on the forum, their grandaughter contacted me here to say thankyou for reviving their memory.
Happy times Suze
They were the founders of a plant directory to help gardeners find plants and where to purchase them. This information was put forward to form The Plantfinder that we know today.
Joan and Robin never received the recognition they so rightly deserved. Notts HPS take every opportunity to let it be known that together with the help of other members the importance of their time consuming work is recognised.
Before I knew them both Geoff Hamilton and Roy Lancaster filmed in their 'quart in a pint pot garden'.
I had a look at your link - the prices are eye watering! Especially when you can grow lonicera so easily from cuttings.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@deonc7X4QL-O You might be interested too in the Beechgrove trials, it did take place over a cold winter.
The shrubby loniceras are very easy, but the Beechgrove site has very different conditions to mine. East is far drier and generally colder [in temps] than this side, which is wetter. Still cold -as it's windy, but as far as hedging is concerned, that's no problem except much further north, or on the islands.
I planted a new hedge last year with L. 'Baggesson's Gold' cuttings from the original plant. They only took about a year or 18 months to be big enough to plant out, and they've had no attention since planting. All doing well.
I have a green one which I've done cuttings from as well, to fill gaps in a boundary. It's very good. I think it's called Emerald something or other, but it's a good bright green and grows rapidly and thickly.
I found it odd they were using things like Spireas as alternatives. Not a choice I would look at if replacing box!
Even privet is a good, cheap alternative, but like Lonicera, it needs more frequent trimming.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I have grown Box from cuttings, as you know a very slow process but worthwhile. It was often recommended but I am not sure I would suggest it now we have blight and caterpillar to contend with.
I'd rather have something which offers a bit more in the way of a hedge, and even if it was for a topiary specimen, I'm not sure I'd use it. Certainly not if it was for something like a simple cone or sphere. Plenty of better alternatives IMO.
We're all different though
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@GardenerSuze Am I correct in thinking that it's one of these episodes you are referring to: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m0004c4v/beechgrove-garden ? If so, any chance you can point out which one as it's not immediately obvious from the titles.