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Plant to fill a bed and keep dogs off?
Hi,
There is a large grass verge out of my property boundaries but we maintain it. It's currently a retained lawned area but its along the roadside so it is basically a doggy pit stop.
I want to cover the whole verge with something that is either prickly or woody (or both) to stop dogs getting comfortable on it.
High wildlife value would be good, particularly to caterpillars.
Perhaps around 50cm tall and hardy. Not lavender or rosemary.
Any ideas?
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Berberis. Very prickly.
Hi Louise. What about Berberis? Some of the smaller ones are: Boughton Red, Rose Glow, Concorde and Fireball. You can clip to keep to your required size. They are all beautiful and the flowers are pollinator attractants and then the berries bring in the birds.
Snap Ceres!
Obviously we think alike in the "keep dogs/small children off the flower beds scenario.
Last edited: 22 June 2016 15:03:49
Thanks I'll have a look. Any non-prickly suggestions?
The spiraea group have some nice examples with different leaf and flower colourings.
Potentillas are tough as old boots, various colours, grows quickly, flowers for months. Easy to maintain and very forgiving.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Cotoneaster horizontalis. Very tough, good for bees, nice red berries, good spread and not too high.
Thanks everyone.