Ground cover suggestions please

 
We have a planted area between our boundary wall and the pavement, about  
3m x 40m.  It used to be managed by the developer and was then taken over  
by the local authority when the road was adopted.  The problem is that the  
LA no longer have the funds or resources to look after the area and it has  
been getting somewhat neglected.  We have started to tidy it up (Big  
Society???) and it occurs that planting ground cover could help reduce  
future maintenance.  We have cleared a lot of the overgrown shrubbery and  
ivy, leaving three large mature conifers and a few shrubs that are worth  
keeping.

We would be grateful for any suggestions for evergreen ground cover for an  
area that is in the shade of the conifers for much of the day, fairly  
heavy soil (Devon Redlands and clay mix) - we have some Pachysandra  
terminalis which will undoubtedly grow reasonably well but wonder if there  
is anything that is a bit more attractive (no hedera!)

--
rbel

 

Before you go and spend money on a lot of plants, have you got the
permission of the local authority (probably its highways department)
to do what you are doing? There have been cases where someone has done
something to a verge area and the council jobsworths have gone
ballistic on the basis that they'd have even more work to do if
whoever had done the work moved away, died or was no longer capable of
tending the area. It's not unheard of for someone from the council to
turn up just after the work's been finished and dig the lot up!

A friend was actually threatened with legal action  by his local
council if he didn't stop cutting the grass on the verge outside his
front hedge because the council hadn't insured him to do it! It took a
couple of months to get the council to accept that he owned the verge!

Mr Cameron doesn't yet seem to have managed to join the dots in his
"Big Society" plan.

 

I (and neighbors in a similar position) have discussed this with the LA  
Arboricultural Service Manager and asked if we needed to obtain a 'License  
to cultivate the highway verge'.  The response was that he would be  
delighted if we were content take over the maintenance on an informal  
basis.  We are quite happy to pay for any planting and do appreciate that  
there is the possibility (albeit somewhat small according to local  
councilors) that the LA may renew their interest in the land at some time  
in the future.

--
rbel

 

"rbel"  wrote
We have a planted area between our boundary wall and the pavement, about
3m x 40m.  It used to be managed by the developer and was then taken over
by the local authority when the road was adopted.  The problem is that the
LA no longer have the funds or resources to look after the area and it has
been getting somewhat neglected.  We have started to tidy it up (Big
Society???) and it occurs that planting ground cover could help reduce
future maintenance.  We have cleared a lot of the overgrown shrubbery and
ivy, leaving three large mature conifers and a few shrubs that are worth
keeping.

We would be grateful for any suggestions for evergreen ground cover for an
area that is in the shade of the conifers for much of the day, fairly
heavy soil (Devon Redlands and clay mix) - we have some Pachysandra
terminalis which will undoubtedly grow reasonably well but wonder if there
is anything that is a bit more attractive (no hedera!)

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I use Aspidistra and Epimedium under our largest Camellia and Bristlecone
pine but, looking at my books, you could look at some in these families...
Ajuga; Bergenia; Cornus; Euonymus; Geranium; Helxine; Hosta; Hypericum;
Lamium; Mahonia; Oxalis; Pachysandra; Phlox; Pulmonaria; Saxifraga; Tellima;
Tiarella; Tolmiea; Vinca. There are also bulbs that will do well too, like
Snowflakes.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

 

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Many thanks

--
rbel