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Prairie planting scheme
HILL CREST
Posts: 6
in Plants
I am having difficulty getting started on this forum. I am wanting advise on starting a Prairie planting scheme. If someone can reply to me, I will send further details.
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We have a west facing lawned area (30 x 7 yds) on an exposed site approx. 2 miles from Morecambe Bay in Cumbria. The site is well drained being on a steep slope and composed of fertile, slightly stony soil. Our plan is to start a prairie planting scheme but the site is infested with Rabbits and we are aware that we will have to protect new planting until established. A Pampas grass on an adjacent site has survived very well since planting 2 years ago. Anyone got any advise or suggestions. Thank you in anticipation of assistance!
Hello Hill Crest and welcome to the forum
Go ahead, tell us about your garden and your plans ... if you can post photos that would be good.
To post a photo you need to click on the green tree icon on the toolbar above where you type your post, and follow the instructions. Sometimes it takes a while to load. If it doesn't work, let us know
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
do you have any photos of the sort of Prairie you'd like to create. The term seems to be used for lots of styles these days.
Ah, we were posting at the same time
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Little experience with rabbits--I have woodmice which eat every bulb except narcissi and snowdrops, and slugs and vine weevils! However the RHS website recommends as unpalatable to rabbits: perennial Helianthus such as 'Lemon Queen', Japanese anemones, Asters, Alliums, Crocosmia, Eupatorium, day lilies, Helenium, Malva, Phytolacca, Salvia x superba, Verbascum thapsus. For grasses they recommend Miscanthus sinensis. One thing you could try is planting plenty of these along with the odd shrub and putting finer-leaved grasses in between the perennials and Miscanthus. If the rabbits don't have a free run across the space they will have to work a lot harder for a bit of grass. Here's the link:
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=209
Forgive me if I don't give links to each of the above plants, but you can google them--these are ones I would pick out of the list for a prairie garden effect.
The lawn to the right of the steps is the site for the proposed prairie planting scheme. At the other side of the hedge is a field and the path leads onto a lane so not much chance of fencing to make rabbit proof without huge expense! Thanks to Other forum members for their advise so far.
Well, we have made a start by planting a Leymus Arenarius Blue Grass (Lyme Grass), a little reckless perhaps but you have to start somewhere!! My plan is to continue with various Miscanthus and Stipa plantings. "She who must be obeyed" is very concerned about my enthusiasm! but I am determined to have a go and see how it turns out. Any comments would be most welcome.
Good luck Hill Crest--post us a photo or two as things develop! Trial and error is probably the only way to proceed...
Just a word of warning about your Leymus Arenarius Blue Grass .... it is considered a bit of a thug and it might be worth planting it in a large tub to constrain it. I've done that with mine.
See info. on this link ...
http://www.perennials.com/plants/leymus-arenarius.html
It is lovely though!
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