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Enough space for a fatsia?

Jennifer3Jennifer3 Posts: 5
in Plants

Hello,

My garden is on a steep slope so please bear with me while I try to give you a clear picture of the space I'm describing! I have a 65cm square space, approximately 5ft deep, in a bed which is confined by a breeze block wall on two sides. One of the other sides is the border between my garden and my neighbour's garden. It is a shady spot beside a fence and I would really like to plant a fatsia japonica there, but I'm concerned it will a) outgrow the space quite quickly, and/or b) spread into my neighbour's garden because it is blocked by the walls on my side and the roots therefore have no other direction in which to grow.

Please could anyone offer advice about whether this is a good idea or not?!

Thanks very much for any replies, Jen image

Posts

  • FloBearFloBear Posts: 2,281

    My fatsia japonica is about 3m wide and 2 1/2 m high though it took quite a number of years to get that big. It tends to spread out sideways and if you only have 65 cm square I don't think it will be happy or look its best. Not sure about roots, it's in the middle of a large bed with other shrubs close by and they all seem pretty happy.

  • figratfigrat Posts: 1,619
    I think a fatsia might be a bit tight in that space, but maybe you could consider sarcocca confusa, a slow growing evergreen shrub with small glossy dark green leaves. It looks good through the year, but really comes into it's own in the winter when it's tiny creamy flowers pump out the most gorgeous scent. It has black berries as well. It does very well in shady spots, and can be cut back with impunity in the unlikely case that it outgrew it's bounds.
  • Caz WCaz W Posts: 1,353

    You could consider growing one in a large pot Jen if you really want one.  I love fatsias and have about 4 planted in the garden but have quite a few more in pots.  You can save the berries and sow them and raise your own plants so when one starts looking too big for its pot you'll have another one ready to take its place.  I keep one or two of the "babies" in the house - they make nice houseplants while they are still small .

  • Jennifer3Jennifer3 Posts: 5

    Thank you for your replies, I will look out for a sarcocca as that sounds much more suited to my space.

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