Posted by Janet Tweedy on August 25, 2011, 1:50 pm
Between a friend's house and the next one there is a small strip of
ground.
The houses are a cul de sac of large detached but modern houses with
drives only just big enough to contain a car's length and the re is no
proper boundary between each house - rather there is just the tiny strip
about 3 foot wide that goes road.
I know both owners and they wanted me to recommend something other than
the unruly (possibly as it's never been pruned) half-dead lavender in
situ at the moment.
i thought of box balls (nothing too high as the two families get on very
well and so would prefer something quite low,
Perhaps that Ilex that is similar to box or maybe, i thought a row of
small hardy fuchsias though they might stretch out a bit with their
growths in summer and these houses can't really afford the space so it
really should be confined to the three foot wide.
I even thought of rosemary but wondered if anyone out there had a
brighter idea?
p.s. You guessed it, neither are gardeners ! So it really ought to be
something that doesn't show neglect easily.
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk
Posted by Martin Brown on August 25, 2011, 5:42 pm
On 25/08/2011 18:50, Janet Tweedy wrote:
> Between a friend's house and the next one there is a small strip of ground.
> The houses are a cul de sac of large detached but modern houses with
> drives only just big enough to contain a car's length and the re is no
> proper boundary between each house - rather there is just the tiny strip
> about 3 foot wide that goes road.
> I know both owners and they wanted me to recommend something other than
> the unruly (possibly as it's never been pruned) half-dead lavender in
> situ at the moment.
> i thought of box balls (nothing too high as the two families get on very
> well and so would prefer something quite low,
> Perhaps that Ilex that is similar to box or maybe, i thought a row of
> small hardy fuchsias though they might stretch out a bit with their
> growths in summer and these houses can't really afford the space so it
> really should be confined to the three foot wide.
One of the low growing cotoneasters perhaps? Or a variegated form of
something that would otherwise be too vigorous for the location.
> I even thought of rosemary but wondered if anyone out there had a
> brighter idea?
Rosemary tends to be a bit short lived even when looked after on
anything but the most free draining soils.
> p.s. You guessed it, neither are gardeners ! So it really ought to be
> something that doesn't show neglect easily.
I suspect whatever they get they won't prune it and it will become
messy. Low trellis with honeysuckle on might be another option.
Regards,
Martin Brown
Posted by Sacha on August 25, 2011, 6:46 pm
> Between a friend's house and the next one there is a small strip of ground.
> The houses are a cul de sac of large detached but modern houses with
> drives only just big enough to contain a car's length and the re is no
> proper boundary between each house - rather there is just the tiny
> strip about 3 foot wide that goes road.
> I know both owners and they wanted me to recommend something other than
> the unruly (possibly as it's never been pruned) half-dead lavender in
> situ at the moment.
> i thought of box balls (nothing too high as the two families get on
> very well and so would prefer something quite low,
> Perhaps that Ilex that is similar to box or maybe, i thought a row of
> small hardy fuchsias though they might stretch out a bit with their
> growths in summer and these houses can't really afford the space so it
> really should be confined to the three foot wide.
>
> I even thought of rosemary but wondered if anyone out there had a
> brighter idea?
>
> p.s. You guessed it, neither are gardeners ! So it really ought to be
> something that doesn't show neglect easily.
Would Nandina domestica Fire Power work in your winters? I have no
idea how it stands up to neglect, I'm happy to say! Reports suggest
it's tougher than received wisdom dictates. If they really want
something they can neglect, I'd suggest a few boulders!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
Posted by Emery Davis on August 26, 2011, 2:53 am
On 08/25/2011 07:50 PM, Janet Tweedy wrote:
> Between a friend's house and the next one there is a small strip of
> ground.
> The houses are a cul de sac of large detached but modern houses with
> drives only just big enough to contain a car's length and the re is no
> proper boundary between each house - rather there is just the tiny strip
> about 3 foot wide that goes road.
> I know both owners and they wanted me to recommend something other than
> the unruly (possibly as it's never been pruned) half-dead lavender in
> situ at the moment.
> i thought of box balls (nothing too high as the two families get on very
> well and so would prefer something quite low,
> Perhaps that Ilex that is similar to box or maybe, i thought a row of
> small hardy fuchsias though they might stretch out a bit with their
> growths in summer and these houses can't really afford the space so it
> really should be confined to the three foot wide.
>
> I even thought of rosemary but wondered if anyone out there had a
> brighter idea?
>
> p.s. You guessed it, neither are gardeners ! So it really ought to be
> something that doesn't show neglect easily.
How about a dwarf kalmia, like Kalmia latifolia f. myrtifolia 'Elf'?
3 ft, responds well to pruning if necessary, lovely scent. This one is
leaf spot resistant.
-E
Posted by Dave Hill on August 26, 2011, 4:29 am
> On 08/25/2011 07:50 PM, Janet Tweedy wrote:
> > Between a friend's house and the next one there is a small strip of
> > ground.
> > The houses are a cul de sac of large detached but modern houses with
> > drives only just big enough to contain a car's length and the re is no
> > proper boundary between each house - rather there is just the tiny strip
> > about 3 foot wide that goes road.
> > I know both owners and they wanted me to recommend something other than
> > the unruly (possibly as it's never been pruned) half-dead lavender in
> > situ at the moment.
> > i thought of box balls (nothing too high as the two families get on very
> > well and so would prefer something quite low,
> > Perhaps that Ilex that is similar to box or maybe, i thought a row of
> > small hardy fuchsias though they might stretch out a bit with their
> > growths in summer and these houses can't really afford the space so it
> > really should be confined to the three foot wide.
> > I even thought of rosemary but wondered if anyone out there had a
> > brighter idea?
> > p.s. You guessed it, neither are gardeners ! So it really ought to be
> > something that doesn't show neglect easily.
> How about a dwarf kalmia, like Kalmia latifolia f. myrtifolia 'Elf'?
> 3 ft, responds well to pruning if necessary, lovely scent. This one is
> leaf spot resistant.
> -E- Hide quoted text -
> - Show quoted text -
I'd go for a row of bush roses, they will stop people walking through
them and most don't require skillfull pruning, they can even be cut
back with a hedge trimmer.
It could be the estate is "Open plan" and hedges and boundaries are
not allowed, but a flower bed where the plants are to close is allowed.
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> The houses are a cul de sac of large detached but modern houses with
> drives only just big enough to contain a car's length and the re is no
> proper boundary between each house - rather there is just the tiny strip
> about 3 foot wide that goes road.
> I know both owners and they wanted me to recommend something other than
> the unruly (possibly as it's never been pruned) half-dead lavender in
> situ at the moment.
> i thought of box balls (nothing too high as the two families get on very
> well and so would prefer something quite low,
> Perhaps that Ilex that is similar to box or maybe, i thought a row of
> small hardy fuchsias though they might stretch out a bit with their
> growths in summer and these houses can't really afford the space so it
> really should be confined to the three foot wide.