Forum home Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Welcome to the plants forum

2456717

Posts

  • happymarionhappymarion Posts: 4,591

    Being of the oldest generation of gardeners I love my ferns.  We havr just had a hailstorm in Bristol so, of course ,I went up the garden with my camera and took these pictures of Dryopteris digitata "Crispum Whireside", a primula flowering among the fallen leaves, and rosebuds atop Iris unguilaris and a close-up. 

    image

    image

    image

    image

    I love the new site and the tool bar!!!

  • I love ferns too, which is just as well since my garden is so shaded. I tried growing spores last year... The little thalluses grew OK but no baby ferns yet.

    Love the piccies Marion

  • happymarionhappymarion Posts: 4,591

    Should be "Crispum Whiteside, of course!  Hailstones have frozen my fingers.  I expect you know to keep your thalluses very damp, Linda.  Good luck.

  • Hi, I've just had the 'men from the Council'  with a 3 ft chain saw destroying the other side of my hedge!! I now have huge gaps and would like any recommendations for a very fast-growing perennial climber to help with filling them. They have totally destroyed my privacy and killed a lot of bird friendly bush - I could swing for themimage.

    Thanks in advance

    Carol, Plymouth

  • happymarionhappymarion Posts: 4,591

    Clematis chinensis grows very fast and is very lovely,madasahatter.  Also the perennial sweet pea.

  • Hello Madasahatter and Happymarion,

    It may not be very original, but Clematis montana should grow quickly, cover the gaps and cope with any shade the rest of the hedge causes. It is also very pretty. It prefers alkaline - neutral soil so I would pick something else for a garden with acid soil. For next summer, why not go for some climbing annuals, or tender plants like morning glory as well? They will grow faster than hardy perennials and give you lots of colour. You could make use of them to fill the holes while you wait for the clematis to grow bigger.

    Emma.

    gardenersworld.com team.

  • I expect you want something evergreen, so how about Trachelospermum jasminoides or Clematis armandii? The latter won't like it if it's exposed, though, as it's not 100% hardy. I'm not sure about the hardiness of Trachelospermum, though, as the weather's quite benign here in Essex (usually) and I never saw it much in Oxfordshire. I'm planning on planting one come the spring. My perreniall sweet pea dies back in winter, and of course, the tender climbers die off over winter, but will add a sparkle of colour.

    Whatever you decide on, I would avoid Russian Vine. It's a first class thug.

  • Another thought is Akebia. Mine has gone nuts, even after a serious hack back. Or were you after something temporary while the hedge recovers from the assault?

  • cassiecassie Posts: 17
    I would love to have happymarion2 as my neighbour, she's so knowledgeable!
  • happymarionhappymarion Posts: 4,591

    Thank you , Cassie, but isn't it lovely to be neighbours on the GW site!  As for being knowledgeable that's where my longevity comes in and having willing teachers.

Sign In or Register to comment.