Oh that is excellent, @WeekendPruner, that your terracotta pot and copper tape worked. It is worth trying something like that, at least for the plants you really want to grow. I hunted out more slug and snail proof plants this year, so I managed to get hold of a fucshia and Japanese anemone (2 litre pots). I do find it a bit restrictive having to factor in the slugs and snails....I would love to grow echinacea for instance....
I am growing anemone blanda too. Apparently they can cope with a bit of shade as well as some sun, so that was my rationale for buying them, as well a just liking them. I hope to find time to plant them soon, but will probably soak them first, overnight. I intend to put some in pots and some in the ground (hopefully to naturalise). It will be a bit of an experiment. I bought a potted anemone one spring but planted it somewhere obscure and don't remember seeing it for ages. I have not grown them as corms before.
The azaleas sound as though they need to dazzle without the anemones getting in their way! I think I will put my tulips in their own pots rather than mixing, but have not quite decided.
Spring should hopefully be a riot of colours, as long as the weather plays it's part...🤔.... Here is hoping so! ☺️
Sorry to witness the demise of the forum. 😥😥😥😡😡😡I am Spartacus
It's winter but as usual, I've been buying more plants. I can't help it.
Azaleas seem to popular in the garden centres this time of year but used online this time to get 7 azaleas for cheap for my mother in laws garden. I also got 5 Heather's for £1 which I stuffed into a pot with one of the Azalea (same as x2 pink below) . Probably too full for the pot size really. There has been snow and quite a fair amount of frosty days in Scotland. As with much of the UK, strong winds are blowing in the garden.
I planted 7 Azalea last weekend in a fairly small space at my mother in laws to dress up the front driveway border. Doesn't look like frost ahead but still very early for planting. Encore dwarf evergreen X3 white x2 pink and x2 red. They grow quite slowly and seem to have a max height and breadth of 2.5ft. I have planted all 7 quite close together in a space of 1.5m x 3. As they grow, I might shift a few of them around as they are still relatively small plants at the moment. The smallest are the ones.
I am a little worried about where I have placed them. It's a windy spot in a vacant border. It's a full south facing sharing nutrients with a lawn, an established Hydrangea, grown from Edinburgh Botanical Garden cutting 30 years ago and some other bushes. There won't be much shade but it's Scotland... Worried this coupled with the strong wind of the firth of forth coast might see them struggle?
Thoughts welcomed
I was a bit miffed at the condition of them on arrival. They look a bit weedy and lack the fullness of my other evergreen azaleas. I bought from the same retailer previously, for the same price plants in much better condition. X2 of the red variety, I bought 1 from a different retailer and is very different to what I was supplied. Maybe the forum can tell me if these plants will flourish into full and flowering azalea bushes?
The middle pot pictured is the same variety, autumn fire as the red one above, so I'm told. Perhaps they have been grown differently? The left pot is not an 'encore.'
Yes - the pot is too crowded! You can remove the heathers and plant them elsewhere though. I think you have too many for the space. They're slow growing, but once they take root and establish, they'll knit together, and then you'll have difficulty removing any successfully. Might have been better to space them out a bit and just use some spring bulbs or similar to fill the gaps while they mature. They'll cope with the weather, and they'll be fine even if there's a frost or two soon after planting, but it can be drier against walls unless it faces the prevailing weather - ie mainly west to south west. Even then, the east is mainly drier than this side, so they'd need well watered through summer until they've adapted. A good mulch of bark will help too. The evergreen J. azaleas cope with sun no problem, but the prep has to be good to help them establish properly. The deciduous ones aren't too fussy if they have adequate moisture and nutrients. I'm slightly confused by the pix though - is the 2nd pic the one of the new specimens?
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@fairygirl - Second picture is indeed the new specimens. The bottom picture is my garden. The middle pot is Encore Autumn Fire Azalea and so is the red one planted in the soil in new pictures. Quite different in structure. Perhaps they have been grown diffenrtly.
I would like the newly planted border to form into a mixed colour hedge. That's the idea anyway. I appreciate if it's still a little too close. All planted with some eri compost mixed into the border and a few handfuls splashed in around the planting hole after a decent soaking of the roots.
The hydrangea will be getting pruned back in a few weeks time with plans for a mulch before spring. It could do with some tidying up and shaping which could open up more space in the border.
Spring is getting closer and a few early jobs have been done. I have spaced out the Azaleas at my mother in laws after freeing up some space by pruning the Hydrangea.
I removed some straggly bits, some dead wood and trimmed branches that didn't have any new growth. Branches jutting wide got trimmed back to the crown. Some big ones too. I hoed a little erricaciois compost in as I don't think it's fed in years. Proper mulch later in the spring.
Also ordered 2 star Jasmine as it was only £8 each. One for my South facing brick wall in Glasgow and one for my mother in laws sheltered West facing house wall.
For her home, it will be grown in a pot/planter which will nestle into a 30cm wide and 20cm deep gap between the house and monoblock drive. It will give the appearance that the planter is actually in the ground from eyelevel, to an extent. I am trying to figure out the best way to support the plant as pebble dash isn't isn't to drill into.
Thinking of Frankensteining a premade wooden frame trellis or 2 together with a wooden planter. Some metal support bracket and a lot of screws might do it. Bought to dimension and with the Jasmine inside a plastic trough planter inside the wood. With this idea it is also movable to an extent. Brought into sun if needed etc?
Thoughts appreciated.
I also bought a Daphne but wanted to ask what people's thoughts are on an ideal garden position for this plant in the east coast of Scotland? How much sun will it need is the big one?
Mulching will help with the azaleas, and if the soil's in good nick, they don't need any other food. Can't help you with the Daphne as it's not something I've ever grown, or wanted to grow. I never see them round here, so perhaps they don't do well over here. How well they'd do in the east I don't know either. We don't have many forum members on that side, but @Balgay.Hill might be able to help, and I'm sure @Silver surfer will give you lots of info, as she had a garden in Perthshire for a long time, and there aren't many shrubs she hasn't grown! I can't help with the jasmine either as they aren't reliable enough here. You might be ok in the town, and if it's sheltered. East side, coastal, may not suit either, but as it's facing the other way, it could be ok. They do get very big if they establish well though, so I'm not sure your container will do the job at all, if I've understood your sizing.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I bought a fairly established Star Jasmine from a garden centre in a trough planter & the trellis was in the trough/soil, if you paid £8 for it I would imagine that would work for the first few years. It was like this
The problem is climate though @Panda5. The odd bit of cold weather, especially in drier locations, is fine for many plants, but sustained cold/wet sees a lot of them off unfortunately. It's why that location matters so much - especially for anything that's borderline. I'm about 10 miles south of Glasgow, and at around 400 ft, and not in the town itself, and it's surprising just how big a difference those small amounts of difference make. If you have one growing in the same sort of conditions that @WeekendPruner has, that would be helpful though
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
I am growing anemone blanda too. Apparently they can cope with a bit of shade as well as some sun, so that was my rationale for buying them, as well a just liking them. I hope to find time to plant them soon, but will probably soak them first, overnight. I intend to put some in pots and some in the ground (hopefully to naturalise). It will be a bit of an experiment. I bought a potted anemone one spring but planted it somewhere obscure and don't remember seeing it for ages. I have not grown them as corms before.
The azaleas sound as though they need to dazzle without the anemones getting in their way! I think I will put my tulips in their own pots rather than mixing, but have not quite decided.
Spring should hopefully be a riot of colours, as long as the weather plays it's part...🤔.... Here is hoping so! ☺️
Azaleas seem to popular in the garden centres this time of year but used online this time to get 7 azaleas for cheap for my mother in laws garden. I also got 5 Heather's for £1 which I stuffed into a pot with one of the Azalea (same as x2 pink below) . Probably too full for the pot size really.
There has been snow and quite a fair amount of frosty days in Scotland. As with much of the UK, strong winds are blowing in the garden.
I planted 7 Azalea last weekend in a fairly small space at my mother in laws to dress up the front driveway border. Doesn't look like frost ahead but still very early for planting.
Encore dwarf evergreen X3 white x2 pink and x2 red. They grow quite slowly and seem to have a max height and breadth of 2.5ft.
I have planted all 7 quite close together in a space of 1.5m x 3.
As they grow, I might shift a few of them around as they are still relatively small plants at the moment. The smallest are the ones.
I am a little worried about where I have placed them. It's a windy spot in a vacant border. It's a full south facing sharing nutrients with a lawn, an established Hydrangea, grown from Edinburgh Botanical Garden cutting 30 years ago and some other bushes. There won't be much shade but it's Scotland... Worried this coupled with the strong wind of the firth of forth coast might see them struggle?
Thoughts welcomed
I was a bit miffed at the condition of them on arrival. They look a bit weedy and lack the fullness of my other evergreen azaleas. I bought from the same retailer previously, for the same price plants in much better condition. X2 of the red variety, I bought 1 from a different retailer and is very different to what I was supplied.
Maybe the forum can tell me if these plants will flourish into full and flowering azalea bushes?
The middle pot pictured is the same variety, autumn fire as the red one above, so I'm told. Perhaps they have been grown differently? The left pot is not an 'encore.'
I think you have too many for the space. They're slow growing, but once they take root and establish, they'll knit together, and then you'll have difficulty removing any successfully. Might have been better to space them out a bit and just use some spring bulbs or similar to fill the gaps while they mature.
They'll cope with the weather, and they'll be fine even if there's a frost or two soon after planting, but it can be drier against walls unless it faces the prevailing weather - ie mainly west to south west. Even then, the east is mainly drier than this side, so they'd need well watered through summer until they've adapted. A good mulch of bark will help too. The evergreen J. azaleas cope with sun no problem, but the prep has to be good to help them establish properly. The deciduous ones aren't too fussy if they have adequate moisture and nutrients.
I'm slightly confused by the pix though - is the 2nd pic the one of the new specimens?
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Too close? There is space to move a few around the hydrangea.
I would like the newly planted border to form into a mixed colour hedge. That's the idea anyway. I appreciate if it's still a little too close. All planted with some eri compost mixed into the border and a few handfuls splashed in around the planting hole after a decent soaking of the roots.
The hydrangea will be getting pruned back in a few weeks time with plans for a mulch before spring. It could do with some tidying up and shaping which could open up more space in the border.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Spring is getting closer and a few early jobs have been done. I have spaced out the Azaleas at my mother in laws after freeing up some space by pruning the Hydrangea.
I removed some straggly bits, some dead wood and trimmed branches that didn't have any new growth. Branches jutting wide got trimmed back to the crown. Some big ones too.
I hoed a little erricaciois compost in as I don't think it's fed in years. Proper mulch later in the spring.
Also ordered 2 star Jasmine as it was only £8 each. One for my South facing brick wall in Glasgow and one for my mother in laws sheltered West facing house wall.
For her home, it will be grown in a pot/planter which will nestle into a 30cm wide and 20cm deep gap between the house and monoblock drive.
It will give the appearance that the planter is actually in the ground from eyelevel, to an extent.
I am trying to figure out the best way to support the plant as pebble dash isn't isn't to drill into.
Thinking of Frankensteining a premade wooden frame trellis or 2 together with a wooden planter. Some metal support bracket and a lot of screws might do it. Bought to dimension and with the Jasmine inside a plastic trough planter inside the wood. With this idea it is also movable to an extent. Brought into sun if needed etc?
Thoughts appreciated.
I also bought a Daphne but wanted to ask what people's thoughts are on an ideal garden position for this plant in the east coast of Scotland? How much sun will it need is the big one?
Thanks
Can't help you with the Daphne as it's not something I've ever grown, or wanted to grow. I never see them round here, so perhaps they don't do well over here. How well they'd do in the east I don't know either. We don't have many forum members on that side, but @Balgay.Hill might be able to help, and I'm sure @Silver surfer will give you lots of info, as she had a garden in Perthshire for a long time, and there aren't many shrubs she hasn't grown!
I can't help with the jasmine either as they aren't reliable enough here. You might be ok in the town, and if it's sheltered. East side, coastal, may not suit either, but as it's facing the other way, it could be ok. They do get very big if they establish well though, so I'm not sure your container will do the job at all, if I've understood your sizing.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
https://www.hedgesdirect.co.uk/acatalog/Trachelospermum-Jasminoides-Trellis-Grown-Screening-H160-X-100.html
If you have one growing in the same sort of conditions that @WeekendPruner has, that would be helpful though
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...