Help - gardeners block!

[Shortie]

This year is my first full year in my house and I've started trying to lay out the garden structurally etc

Obviously I've sorted the most important bit (the kitchen garden) but now have to think about planting on the other half. At this point I get stuck...

I want some good structural evergreens (but not fussed on conifers) for all year interest and will then chop and change annuals/bi-annuals there on...

Any suggestions for good evergreens?

To give any idea of my plot, I have a long(ish) 1930's size garden with a path straight up the middle. My vege raised beds come off this at tangents and I plan to do the mirror image of this on the flower side to (it will look like a series of arrow heads when looking from my house - hope that makes sense)

I want to put a play area in there for my little boy and have given up (for no) on the idea of a wildlife pond as EVERYONE I've spoken to say it's hard work and I don't have much time spare to maintain it.

Also, while I'm on the go, I want to provide alternative shelter for wildlife and didn't know if anyone could through ideas my way that really work?

Cheers all

[dwrudd]

Hi Shortie,

There is sooooo much that you can do with evergreens. I hear you say 'strctural', one of the best purchases I made in my garden was a wonderful bamboo. Caution is required however as they can be invasive. An easy way to curb the spread is to plant the bamboo in an old bin with the bottom cut out. The depth of the bin will stop it throwing runners out and you will have a good sized plant that forms a wonderful focal point as it is or trim all the leaves from halfway up to see the beautiful canes sway in the breeze topped with a rustling mass of foliage. Easy to care for and when you trim it you will have ready made canes for your peas!

If you are looking at ever green interest, really plan the view of the evergreens from your kitchen window looking out as in winter, this is how you will see it most of the time and things can look a little barren from certain angles, so plonk the plants in their pots into the arrangement that you think is right, then go and have a look from the house to see if there are any gaping holes in your design.

Good luck and remember to enjoy the process, its only hard work when you do 5 minutes more than you wanted to.

Darren

[Alice]

Hello Shortie, two plants in my garden I wouldn't be without. Winter flowering Viburnum does clusters of pink flowers on the bare branches all winter and has interesting leaves in summer which provide good shelter for birds. The birds do need shelter as well as food. The viburnum can be left unpruned to grow into a small tree or pruned to the size and shape you want. The other small tree/shrub I love is the Sumach. (Think there may be an English name for this. If you don't know the tree by that name I'll check it for you.) Again it can be grown as a small tree or pruned as a shrub. It does red candles in late summer and glorious autumn colour in the foliage. The bare branches in winter are very architectural. For shelter for animals I find if I leave some beach leaves and straw in a quiet corner the hedgehogs use it as a den. Hope your son enjoys the garden and has a little patch of his own. The first thing I ever planted was Scotch Marigolds (can't fail) when I was 8. My mother still had their offspring in her garden when she did died when she was 80. Good luck with your project.

[Nicos]

One evergreen I would try to avoid unless you don't mind being spicked to death when weeding is the holly bush. I've got 3 in my garden, and although they look good, they are very painful to weed around!(especially collecting the fallen leaves) Lucky you starting off with a blank canvass!

[nick the grief]

Why go for just ever 'Green' I've got a Choysia 'Sundance' in my garden, & when the sun hits it it posuitivly glows. Also I've got a Variagated Wegialia that has Cream and green leaves & pale pink flowers that is good to look at and if you cut it back fairly hard every 2 or 3 years the new foliage is superb. Finally if you have a nice sheltered spot how about a Ceanothus, Dark Glossy green leaves all year but mine will be a sheet of vivid blue in about 3 weeks time.

As to wildlife area's they don't have to be any more hard work than the rest of the garden. You could have some native species plants & shrubs that will form the back bone of the wildlife area in a few years. You dony need a pond as such, shallow water with different sized rocks & pebbles will do the trick & you could landscape it such that it looks like a dry river bed with the pond at the end & plant thru the stones etc. Edge of the pool you can make a Bog garden & grow all sorts in here. the posibilities are endless.

If you can, get hold of a copy of Chris Baines book Wildlife Gardening. A very goo read.

Hope this give you some Ideas.

[Shortie]

Thanks all, I think I already have a donated Choiysa 'Sundance' in a pot (comparing to google images anyway...) so might plant that up, and the others look lovely, especially the Sumach.

I was going to make a special patch for my little boy but he takes over mine anyway so figured I'd just share

Cheers too for the ideas on the wildlife areas....

The Ceanothus... I think this is one my Mum hasn't yet donated me... but we call it the blue ball plant as we never knew the name (oops)

NTG, I've decided.... my initial searched will be on Natives.... to support our own after your plug for them.

[SueA]

For evergreen structure how about euonymus (variegated leaves,small pink/orange flower/berry), hebe 'Green globe' (football-shaped,green), pieris(forest flame, new leaves pink/yellow then green, masses of white flowers like lily of the valley), fatsia japonica (big jungle-like leaves & pompoms of white flowers followed by berries) or mahonia (tough green leaves & yellow flowers). They would add interest all year round & would be tough enough to withstand the odd football or bike ride through them! Lavender looks O.K. most of the year & you could edge your beds with it.The flowers would all attract insects which would attract birds & wildlife. You could buy a ladybird & beehouse for around £10 each from garden centres or pet shops or make your own, the beehouse is just 5 scraps of would nailed together like a house with no front or back, with bamboo canes cut up & pushed into the centre. Piles of logs left in a corner or under a tree would attract beetles, frogs & hedgehogs & you could dig a shallow hole, put an upturned dustbin lid or shallow washing-up bowl filled with pebbles & water to act as a watering hole.

[nick the grief]

Sumach, is that the one that has furry buds like deers antler? If it is you'll need to keep an eye on it as it suckers everywhere. It's like shrubby twitch

It's saving grace is the autumn colour which is stunning.

The Mahonia that Sua mentions would be OK for the wildlife area as it is rich in pollen. The Spikey leaves may be a problem for you little helper though

Ceanothus are spectacular in blossom, but are absolute pigs to try and propagate, I haven't found a good way od dealing with them yet. So that one might be best as a pressie of someone via the garden centre.

Glad you're a convert

[sewer rat]

Hebe "Red Edge" would be good for front of border, as would Euonymus "Emerald'n'Gold" . Both low growing shrubs.
Ceanothus come in a range of sizes and varieties. I have two -"Autumnal Blue", which I have trained as a climber and is about six ft high, and "Blue Mound" which is about 2ft.
Pieris "Forest Fire" is another I have, but mine is in a pot and can be shifted around to suit the whims of my daughter (she chose it so it is her plant!).
Choisya are a good plant - have them close to the edges of the bed where you will benefit from their scent - I have "Aztec Pearl" and it has grown to four times it's size in three years.

[Shortie]

Thanks all. Just got to find the money now

I'm hopefully sorting my flower beds out this week so I'll be in a position to start planting them up. Also obviosuly a good time for me to position my 'wildlife' areas