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Any ideas?
DAN WILSON
Posts: 128
in Talkback
Evening all... I have recently cut back some of next door's leylandii that form a very tall hedge between my garden and next door, it probably about 20 feet tall. I have had to cut it back severely as the previous owners had let it encroach on the garden by about 5 feet. I knew that it would be unlikely to grow back but there were limited other options. I am now left with the usual ugly mess. Question is what to do now? I wondered if climbers would be an option of some sort - wisteria or clematis for example. They may provide a screen of some sort -any thoughts on this? Or any other ideas, fence etc is not practical given the height.
Cheers
Dan
0
Posts
Its a large garden and it doesn't make too much difference to be honest we do get plenty of sun, its just that they look quite shoddy and it needs covering up there is ample small short branch stumps for the climbers to make use of just want it covered quite quickly with something easy on the eye?
You would need something evergreen though as you would be looking at the same bare branches over winter with wisteria and a lot of clematis. What about a variegated ivy and bird/bat boxes? You could also plant clematis to flower during the summer
Definitely try and make friends with the neighbours and get them to cut it to a more socially acceptable 2 metre high.
You could then erect trellis panels in front of it and grow a wide range of climbing or rambling roses, clematis, honeysuckle,
Failing that you could try covering the ugly stuff with clematis which will cling and climb but you'll need more than one and they'll need to be vigorous so have a look at the montanas. You could also try Virginia creeper which will give fabulous autumn colour. You could also try a really large rambling rose such as Kiftsgate, Rambling rector or Wedding Day if you can tie them in and up.
Whatever you plant will need very good soil preparation as the conifers will suck all the goodness and moisture out of the soil so prepare deep holes and back fill with a mix of garden soil and good quality compost plus some slow release fertiliser such as blood, fish and bone or pelleted chicken manure. Sprinkle some mycrorhizal fungi on the roots of your new plants to help them grow well and water in well at planting time and until established.
Clematis benefit from being planted several inches deeper than they were in their pot and roses need to have the graft union buried an inch or two below soil level. Feed them with specialist fertiliser every spring to keep them healthy and vigorous.
I'd check the pH also and root invasion before planting anything. Conifers take a lot from soil.