What to do with this ugly Conifer - Plant a rambler or chop down?
Tabbyfa
Posts: 35
Hello Gardners World,
I'm after some more advice! I have a reasonable south east facing back garden. We rent but the landlords dont really mind what we do in the garden and I have free rein.
When we moved in there was a rather ugly conifer (half dead) at the back left of the garden. In a bit of a chopping fury i chopped off loads of the dead bits and now it just looks rathe stupid. A stem with half the top left.
It does serve us some privacy by blocking out the house behind ours. However it looks really unsightly.
Shall I chop it down? Shall I grow a rambler up it? Any suggestions?
I have a few clematis plants at my disposal as well as a young honey suckle and a budleah.
You'll notice my rather feeble attempt at planting a young clematis at the base. The problem is I have no patience to wait a year for it to grow.
Any suggestions of what to do to cover this unsightly tree?
I fear planting a new tree would be too much work as we only rent the property and the roots may have been there for years. 
Posts
If it was up to me I'd chop it down ... tomorrow ... even this evening ... it's one of the ugliest things I've ever seen in a garden ... it'll never look beautiful, not in a million years. Climbers planted nearby will struggle with the dry impoverished soil that is always at the food of those Cupressus type trees.
When it's gone dig some manure into the soil, get some timber and put up a pergola, arbour sort of thing and cover it with clematis, chocolate vine, jasmine, ... there are loads of things that would look better than what you've got there now.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Dove From Above - I agree it is super ugly! I mean it is just an eyesore ! The rest of the garden is looking rather splended and then there is this horrible half dead thing in the corner. It's quite a project. I have to admit if we owned the house I would definitly get rid of it and plant another tree or something there instead. As well as this blasted tree I also have about 3 kinds of ivy that have taken over the garden! The struggle is real!
Last edited: 07 April 2017 17:06:31
Believe it or not, they're quite easy to get out - cut it down to about 6ft, then use the stump to rock it back and forth - they're very shallow rooted and usually give up the struggle quite quickly.
As for ivy ....
That's just some of what was here when we moved in ... it also went up the house walls to the eaves ... we beat it ................ good luck
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
We need an 'after' photo Dove
I agree re cutting it down, a climber on an ugly or dead tree always looks just what it is.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Ok Nut
This is the site of the first photo
and this is the site of the third photo
both taken about 4 years after we moved in and tackled the ivy. '
We've also tried to establish lots of plants for birds and insects etc, to replace the ivy which of course is so beneficial for wildlife.
Last edited: 07 April 2017 18:46:29
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Dove from Above / Nutcutlet
I took your advice ! The conifer is gone! You're right. It was half dead, a complete eye soar and just no point in trying to put glitter on a poo. I'm going to take the leftover roots out, mulch the soil and put loads of rose fertiliser in it then plant a wisteria and train it up the shed! Thanks for the little push and great advice. It was really easy to chop down as most of it was dead / dry anyway.
What an improvement!!! That little courtyard is now looking so inviting ... just the place for a morning coffee or an evening glass of something ... please keep us updated
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
What a dfifference.
In the sticks near Peterborough
A massive improvement Tabbyfa . Well done you for taking that ugly beast out ?? A wisteria will look fab there.
I love your table by the door ?