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So, the onslaught of garden catalogs has me thinking about the north side of my house. My first problem is determining one or two anchor shrubs for the space. Images included show that it is narrow and bump right against the neighbor's driveway. I'd like to put the shrubs in the corner by the fence. My husband would like an evergreen of some sort. Tall and thin preferably. We've some arbor vitae in the backyard already. I think that might close it off and make it a bit tight in there. I was thinking maybe an Oakleaf hydrangea. I have a VARIEGATED EUROPEAN DOGWOOD coming from a nursery in the spring to replace one that died last summer within their warranty period. I'd like to repurpose it on this side of the house if at all possible. Thoughts? Its shady-ish and the bed is 6' deep and 35' long. Opposite side of the fence has two Wine and Roses Weigela. Thanks!
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Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Sat, Jan 1, 11 at 11:42
| do you have snow in WI??? where does the neighbor throw his snow.. and do you need to pick something that will scoff at snowload??? a lot of tall thin conifers [arbs] .. will not ... but one that will ... IF IT IS A SINGLE LEADER PLANT is Thuja occidentalis 'Degroot's Spire' .. i have one that is going on about 12 feet and barely 2 feet wide at the base ... and it sheds snow completely ... ken |
Here is a link that might be useful: link
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| Yep. Snows quite a bit on occasion though you wouldn't know to look at the pictures, which I took yesterday. Mid-fifties on New Year's Eve?!!! Neighbor does throw snow into that space. Will it matter if its deciduous? 'Degroot's Spire' looks like a great possibility. Pardon my lack of vocab, but what is a 'SINGLE LEADER PLANT' defined as? Thanks for the suggestion! |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Sat, Jan 1, 11 at 16:51
| hey go in back. and stick your head in one of the arbs ... most likely ... as compared to an oak with one main trunk ... you will see multiple trunks.. or leaders ... intense heavy snow can get in there and splay them open.. and they will not recover ... it might not happen all that often ... usually only when they have achieved perfection .. you will have to solve the driveway cleared snow issue ken |
Here is a link that might be useful: link
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- Posted by mad_gallica Z5 Eastern NY (My Page) on Sat, Jan 1, 11 at 18:00
| There is a section next to my back door that gets a ginormous snow drift from the wind blowing over the garage roof. When we first moved in, there were some azaleas there that got blasted every year. Then there were a series of mild winters without alot of snow, and I forgot all about the drift. So of course, the first year I had moved a tree peony to that spot, it got blasted. This fall I finally moved the tree peony out, and an Annabelle hydrangea in. It blooms on new wood, and shouldn't care if it is broken off near the ground every year. So if you are dealing with a snow issue, I'd stick with something that can either handle being cut down to the ground occasionally, or can handle a fair amount of somewhat bizarre pruning. |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Sun, Jan 2, 11 at 10:11
| i am actually more concerned about the neighbor using a snowblower since the drive is so close ... in that case.. its more about velocity rather than load .. and that will burn or damage a plant ... but then.. i dont see him plastering your house.. so i dont have enough facts to decide ... ken |
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| Yes - They do blow snow over in that area, though its never really been an issue before with it being an un-planted, barren bed. Ken, do you think mad gallica's idea of 'something that can either handle being cut down to the ground occasionally, or can handle a fair amount of somewhat bizarre pruning' wouldn't work either? I was planning on filling most of the bed with perennials that I wouldn't have to worry too much about, but wanted one or two anchor shrubs at the corner, but could just stick with perennials if there's nothing that's tough enough to withstand an occasional snowbank blown against it. |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Sun, Jan 2, 11 at 11:22
| work with me here.. [and in review.. the post makes me sound really irritable ... but its not meant that way.. so please cut me some slack as i do not have time to rewrite it .. MIL is coming over ... maybe that is the irritation????] the neighbor does not blister your house with snow.. correct ... so he must be an artist with the blower... yes??? i would discuss with him.. whether he would be amiable to 'missing' some plants in winter ... in the alternative.. you would pound in two stakes.. and protect with burlap .. the de groots.. should be 5 bucks for a couple small ones ... try it.. see what works.. i am not talking about $200 bucks a piece ... but beyond simply stating you want to fill the area ... you really havent set a goal for us to work with.. other than covering ground ... frankly.. in my world.. plant about 20 different things... and FIND OUT .. what will work ... it might be an interesting place.. to have a small nursery bed.. where you try things.. and then move them out if it doesnt work out ... i mean really.. how much time to you spend looking at this area.. arent you doing this for the neighbor???? presuming that is your backyard in the first pic.. i dont even understand why you have that much grass... that much room for a garden.. and you are worrying about this little area ... i would be investing in planting the area i can see.. from my lawn chair out the back door ... see pics ... lol follow me???? you have a great day pondering why this area is important ... and let me/us know .... ken i have a bunch of little areas like yours.. who cares ... i prioritized ...
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