Growing
TV Garden Rescue Presenter Recommends These Tall Plants For Natural Garden Screening
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Arrowwood Viburnum 2) Fish Pole Bamboo 3) Common Box 4) Clematis 5) Dogwood 6) Cider Gum 7) Forsythia 8) Holly 9) Horsetail Grass 10) Common Ivy 11) Jasmine 12) Bull Bay 13) Malepartus 14) Garden Privet References Create privacy and add intrigue to your garden display with these excellent screening plant options. Whatever the motivation, there are a few things to consider when choosing the best plants to create screening in your garden. First and foremost, you need to decide how high you wish your screen to be, as well as whether it needs to provide year-round coverage or only during the warmer months. You should also take into account the soil type available to you, as well as how quickly you need the screen to be in place and how much of an appetite or ability you will have to maintain it going forwards. Once you’ve given plenty of thought to the practical considerations, it’s time to turn to aesthetics – What sort of visual impact do you want the screen to have? Should it be discreet and understated, only serving as an impediment to vision, or would you prefer it to be a feature in its own right? “Think about the canopy and whether it’s a tree that is going to take up a lot of space and screen,” shares Flo Headlam, TV Presenter on the BBC’s Garden Rescue. “The downside is that it might block out too much light, so make sure to think about that. “Upright trees like Juniper or Cypress are almost like an exclamation and if you were to place them strategically, these will do the trick of screening.” Award-winning Gardener Designer Manoj Maldé also has a particular plant he recommends for screening. “A plant that I have always recommended to clients is Prunus lusitanica. It gives instant greenery at a higher level to stop inquisitive eyes. “The benefit of this plant is that it is evergreen so you have the greenery in winter too. I am always keen on creating greener spaces. “Tall multi-stem trees also provide screening and beautiful branch structures to view in winter.” Having taken all that into account, you’re ready to choose the plants to make up your screen. There is an extensive array of options to make your selection from, which is why we’ve narrowed the shortlist to 14 of the best tall plants for screening below: 1) Arrowwood Viburnum BOTANICAL NAME: Viburnum dentatum PLANT TYPE: SHRUB MAX HEIGHT: 3-4M HARDINESS RATING: H7 PREFERRED CONDITIONS: ANY Viburnum – otherwise known as arrowwood – is a dense shrub which can be either deciduous or evergreen depending on the species. Most options grow to a decent height and offer excellent coverage when placed in a garden, though their bushiness may make them unsuitable for smaller spaces. Choose a variety like V. dentatum to benefit from beautiful white flowers that burst into life in late spring and lush green foliage that fades into browns, yellows and oranges later in the year. It’s also very popular with bees, butterflies and other pollinators, so it’s good for the environment, good for privacy and good for offering colourful appeal, all in one attractive package. “I’ve used a few different Viburnum for screening hedges and they have the added bonus of flowers and berries,” shares Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly. “You can either grow them to full height (varies between species) or cut them to the desired height. Prune in spring after flowering to make sure you have flowers the following spring.” 2) Fish Pole Bamboo BOTANICAL NAME: Phyllostachys aurea PLANT TYPE: BAMBOO MAX HEIGHT: 3-4M HARDINESS RATING: H5 PREFERRED CONDITIONS: SHELTERED; LOAM-SOIL RHS AWARD OF GARDEN MERIT Bamboo screens are becoming increasingly popular in backyard landscaping due to the modern yet natural qualities they bring to a space. Their clean and uncluttered appearance adds a minimalistic touch to your display, while their propensity to shift and sway slightly in a breeze brings movement and intrigue. We also recommend looking to choose a clumping variety such as Chusquea montana or Fargesia murieliae, since some types of bamboo are invasive and will run riot in your garden if left to their own devices. Bamboo plants also lend themselves well to being grown in containers and couldn’t be simpler to cut down to size, making them a portable and highly versatile screening option. 3) Common Box BOTANICAL NAME: Buxus sempervirens PLANT TYPE: SHRUB / TREE MAX HEIGHT: 5-6M HARDINESS RATING: H6 PREFERRED CONDITIONS: ANY The first out-and-out hedging option on this list, boxwood is perhaps the most well-known and most widely-used hedge variety in the UK. That’s due to its resilience and malleability; this hardy evergreen can withstand frequent shearing and is even adaptable to a spot of topiary, allowing you to turn a box into whatever shape your heart desires. It’s another ideal option if you want to use pots or planters to begin with, too, meaning it has a host of advantages to offer a homeowner on the hunt for a solid screening option. 4) Clematis PLANT TYPE: CLIMBER MAX HEIGHT: TYPICALLY 2-4M HARDINESS RATING: VARIES PREFERRED CONDITIONS: SLIGHTLY ALKALINE SOIL Clematis is an avid climber which will quickly scale and cover the surface of a trellis, pergola or veranda, offering privacy from the outside world and shelter from the elements. There are a huge range of different varieties to choose from, bearing largely purple or pink floral blossoms, so you can tailor your selection to the colour scheme of the structure they’re intended to cover and the surrounding décor in the garden. They do best when their roots and the soil which nurtures them is kept in shade, but the uppermost parts of the plant are supported and exposed to full sun. 5) Dogwood BOTANICAL NAME: Cornus PLANT TYPE: SHRUB / TREE MAX HEIGHT: VARIES HARDINESS RATING: TYPICALLY H5-H7 PREFERRED CONDITIONS: ANY This broad-leaved shrub is easily identifiable by the grey bark of its branches which is brilliantly offset by the bright red of newer shoots in winter. This is certainly when they’re at their most spectacular, though if it’s coverage you’re after, you’ll notice better results in spring and summer, when the full-bodied foliage will block out all behind it. Fully mature trees can grow up to 10m in height, but you can pare back your plant to the appropriate height with a little bit of elbow grease. Just be aware that it’s among the hardest of woods available.1 6) Cider Gum BOTANICAL NAME: Eucalyptus gunnii PLANT TYPE: TREE MAX HEIGHT: 10M+ HARDINESS RATING: H5 PREFERRED CONDITIONS: FULL SUN; SHELTERED; SLIGHTLY ACIDIC SOIL RHS AWARD OF GARDEN MERIT Eucalyptus trees and shrubs are hugely popular among green-fingered enthusiasts for the lushness of their leaves and the brightness of their seasonal blossoms. Having said that, there are very few species that are truly hardy plants, and Eucalyptus gunnii is undoubtedly the most favoured in the UK among them. Capable of growing to 10m within a couple of decades, it’ll need to be cut back regularly, but the fascinating phenomenon of its peeling bark and the foliage and flowers it boasts more than make up for the effort involved. 7) Forsythia PLANT TYPE: SHRUB MAX HEIGHT: 1.5-3M HARDINESS RATING: H5 PREFERRED CONDITIONS: ANY These sprawling shrubs are notable for their early blooming patterns – they’ll be among the first to shoot forth their unmistakable yellow flowers in spring, long before the rest of your garden has woken up from its seasonal slumber. The blossoms themselves are another major selling point, though it should be remembered that they work best as an informal screen, since they’re apt to grow in all directions at once and can be easily bent out of shape by the whims of the wind. Capable of reaching around 3m in height, they can easily be trimmed back by lopping off the best flowerheads for display in indoor vases. 8) Holly BOTANICAL NAME: ILEX PLANT TYPE: SHRUB / TREE MAX HEIGHT: 6M HARDINESS RATING: H6 PREFERRED CONDITIONS: ANY; EXPOSED RHS AWARD OF GARDEN MERIT For many people, the only encounters they’ll have had with a holly plant come once a year during Christmas. However, holly is an excellent option for use as a screening hedge, given that its an evergreen plant available in a wide selection of varieties. Choose from Inkberry, Dwarf Yaupon Holly and Meserve Holly, to name but three, to tailor its appearance and utility to your specific needs. As well as the glossy and spiky attraction of its leaves, your hedge will also benefit from the brilliant flashes of orange and red berries when in bloom, as well. Just be careful not to prick yourself on its leaves when keeping it in check! 9) Horsetail Grass BOTANICAL NAME: Equisetum arvense PLANT TYPE: AQUATIC MAX HEIGHT: 1.5M HARDINESS RATING: H7 PREFERRED CONDITIONS: ANY COMMONLY CONSIDERED AN INVASIVE WEED Horsetail grass could perhaps be considered a somewhat controversial entrant on this list given its propensity to spread like wildfire. Although it’s often named invasive, it’s actually native to Europe and as such is better described as an aggressive spreader. For that reason, it’s imperative that you take adequate precautions when using it as a garden screener, such as confining it to pots or maintaining a soil barrier to limit its chances of propagation. When handled correctly, however, it provides an intriguing flowerless screen similar to bamboo that can reach almost 2m in height, which is why it’s a popular choice as an ornamental grass in Britain and beyond.2 10) Common Ivy BOTANICAL NAME: Hedera helix PLANT TYPE: CLIMBER MAX HEIGHT: 10M+ HARDINESS RATING: H5 PREFERRED CONDITIONS: ANY Many people labour under the mistaken belief that ivy is a parasite that strangles the trees or shrubs upon which it climbs. However, nothing could be further from the truth; ivy not only doesn’t hurt trees at all, but actually helps to shelter multiple species of wildlife in the UK.3 It’s ideal for arranging on a pergola, trellis or other outdoor structure, since its woody stems will cling to the support without much in the way of help up to heights of 30m. Plus, the lush green foliage which it boasts lasts all year round offers great screening properties for wildlife within. Don’t allow it to become overgrown as it does spread like wildfire when left unchecked. 11) Jasmine BOTANICAL NAME: Jasminum officinale PLANT TYPE: CLIMBER MAX HEIGHT: 7-8M HARDINESS RATING: H5 PREFERRED CONDITIONS: SHELTERED Jasmine lends itself to screening purposes in two ways. Summer-flowering jasmine is an astonishingly fast climber, so train it up a trellis and let it work its magic to offer privacy and protection from the exterior. Winter jasmine, on the other hand, is a dense shrub that’s tough as old boots, but far easier on the eye, especially during the colder months when many of your other plants have gone into hibernation. Indeed, both varieties are visually pleasing with their floral displays, which also come with the added bonus of an exquisite accompanying fragrance. 12) Bull Bay BOTANICAL NAME: Magnolia grandiflora PLANT TYPE: SHRUB / TREE MAX HEIGHT: 12M+ HARDINESS RATING: H5 PREFERRED CONDITIONS: SHELTERED Magnolia grandiflora is an evergreen shrub or tree which grows in strict upright formations, making it an ideal option for planting in rows as a collective screen. The foliage can be easily trained to begin from virtually any height on the trunk, which means you can position it next to a fence and have its canopy serve as an additional screening agent, while still simultaneously saving plenty of room in its lower reaches for underplanting. Its broad leathery leaves will give excellent coverage, while its summer-flowering white blossoms are as enormous as they are enchanting. 13) Malepartus BOTANICAL NAME: Miscanthus sinensis PLANT TYPE: GRASS MAX HEIGHT: 2M HARDINESS RATING: H6 PREFERRED CONDITIONS: FULL SUN Miscanthus sinensis are a species of fast-growing grasses that will thrive in pretty much all conditions and can provide excellent coverage in next to no time. Once they’ve taken hold in spring, they’ll shoot up to a maximum of 2m in a matter of weeks, gifting you a soft and undulating screen for your garden. Of course, due to their nature as grasses, the partition they provide isn’t as robust or comprehensive as many of the other options on this list, but their gentle swaying in the breeze, alongside the changing colours of their fluffy panicles of flowers, means they carry plenty of aesthetic allure to compensate. 14) Garden Privet BOTANICAL NAME: Ligustrum ovalifolium PLANT TYPE: SHRUB / TREE MAX HEIGHT: 4-6M HARDINESS RATING: H4 PREFERRED CONDITIONS: FULL SUN Privet is perhaps the main contender to boxwood’s claim on the British hedging throne and is commonly used as a screening plant in suburban gardens up and down the length of the country. It’s distinguishable from its boxy counterpart by the smaller, lighter and more delicate shape of its leaves, the creamy whiteness of its flowers and the jet black of its berries. References 1. Dogwood. (2020, December 29). The Wood Database. Retrieved March 24, 2023, from https://www.wood-database.com/dogwood/ 2. Field Horsetail, Equisetum arvense. (n.d.). Plants of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden. Retrieved March 24, 2023, from https://www.friendsofthewildflowergarden.org/pages/plants/fieldhorsetail.html 3. In favour of ivy – why it’s brilliant for wildlife. (2020, September 30). Suffolk Wildlife Trust. Retrieved March 24, 2023, from https://www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/news/favour-ivy-why-its-brilliant-wildlife
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Create A Gravel Garden By Following These 5 Steps - Enjoy Versatility And Easy Upkeep
IN THIS GUIDE Benefits Of A Gravel Garden How To Prepare Your Garden For Gravel 1) Level Out The Ground 2) Prepare The Edges 3) Lay Down A Membrane 4) Position Your Plants 5) Lay The Gravel Gravel Types To Choose How To Maintain A Gravel Garden Sure, grass is great – the green lawn is an aesthetic that’s hard to argue with in terms of versatility, ease of upkeep, and general familiarity. But is it the only option you have when landscaping your garden? Far from it! In this article we’ll run you through the basics of planning and building a gravel garden. After reading you’ll have what you need to switch out the tried and trusted green grass garden for something a little different. Something where greys, whites, beiges, and even blacks can become the visually striking backdrops for your outdoor space. Gravel gardens are reliably stunning This article will begin with a general overview of gravel gardens before launching into a quick step-by-step guide to get yours designed and built. Benefits Of A Gravel Garden If you’re looking for instructions on how to create a gravel garden you’ve probably got a good idea of the benefits already, but we’ve round up a few nonetheless to give some context to the uninitiated – Low maintenance: once your gravel garden is ready to, you’ll need to do way less maintenance than a lawn of the equivalent size would require. No mowing: part of the above comes down to the simple fact that you don’t need to mow gravel. Less weeding: perhaps less obvious than not needing to mow stone is that weeds find it much harder to grow through gravel, especially if you use a weed membrane. This means you’ll spend far less time weeding. Great drainage: water drains much more efficiently through gravel than soil, which is great if your current garden is prone to pools and puddles after rainfall. Brightens up the space: another less obvious benefit to gravel is its reflectiveness; a great way to make your garden a little brighter. Security: if you’re concerned about burglars or other home invaders, the distinctive crunch of footsteps on gravel is far more audible than grass. Not a bad introduction, all things considered! Now let’s move on to the steps for preparing your garden for gravel. How To Prepare Your Garden For Gravel There are a few steps between you and your very own gravel garden, but the process is probably less complicated than you might expect. 1) Level Out The Ground The first thing you’ll want to do is get your ground nice and level. Skimp on this step and your gravel is liable to become uneven, potentially also becoming quite hard to walk on. The current level of your ground will determine how much work you have to do here: sometimes it’s enough to run a rake over the dirt to spread out any lumps and bumps; other times you’ll need something more heavy-duty like a specialised lawn roller. 2) Prepare The Edges Unless you want uniform gravel coverage, we recommend marking out edges and boundaries before laying any gravel. You can use bricks, stones, wood, or myriad other materials for this purpose. Marking out these boundaries will help you to visualise what your gravel garden will look like as you build it, presenting plenty of opportunities to refine the design as you go. 3) Lay Down A Membrane One of the benefits of a gravel garden is fewer weeds and less weeding, and a key part of achieving this is making use of a specialised weed membrane (also called landscape fabric). Spreading this out on top of the ground before you add the gravel reduces the likelihood of weeds coming up, and goes some way to keeping your gravel clean by keeping it separate from soil underneath. If people will be walking across your gravel on a regular basis we recommend going for a heavier duty membrane, as a light-duty one is prone to rip or fray under the pressure of frequent foot traffic. For best results, spread out your membrane so it’s taut with little to no rucked up areas. Again: this reduces the likelihood of rips and frays which, over time, can let weeds through. 4) Position Your Plants While you’ll need to plant things out before adding gravel, we also suggest testing the layout of the plants in your garden before putting anything in the ground. Just as with step 2, this gives you an opportunity to refine the design as you go. So, position plants above the membrane first to make sure you’ve got everything where you want it, then plant out properly. You can cut holes in your weed membrane to make space for the root ball, ensuring the plant will be able to grow and that minimal weeds will grow along with it – 5) Lay The Gravel Once you’ve got the space prepared and you’re happy with the design, it’s time to lay the gravel. Invest effort in getting this right the first time to avoid hassle. The first step is tipping out the gravel, then simply use a rake or spade to spread it out over the desired area. Try to keep things as level as possible. Also, don’t be discouraged if the gravel looks a little different on the ground than it did in the store or catalogue: often dust accrues during transit which can change the appearance slightly. Simply wash the gravel once it’s down to get rid of the dust and restore the gravel to its expected appearance. The ideal depth for gravel is 50mm: any shallower and you’re likely to see bald patches as time goes on, whereas you’ll find yourself sinking into deeper gravel when you try to walk on it. Gravel Types To Choose One of the main questions people ask when preparing a gravel garden is “which type of gravel should I choose?” There are lots of types of gravel, all hailing from different types (or combinations of types) of stone. Some common materials include flint, granite, quarts, basalt, and peakstone. Within these categories you’ll find tons of colours, and it’s just as important to choose the right colour as the right material. Granite, for example, comes in exciting colours like red and green along with the more predictable greys and whites. When choosing gravel type bear in mind that darker colours are better at hiding dirt and will require less cleaning as a result. The trade-off is that they’re slightly less reflective than your whites and light greys, meaning that they might not be as suitable if radiant ground cover is something you’re looking for. Size This may not seem like an obvious consideration, but the size of your gravel can make a huge difference to the look and, more importantly, feel of your gravel garden. If your garden will be walked on, anything smaller than 10mm is liable to get stuck in shoe treads: annoying for the person walking, and gradually detrimental to the integrity of your garden. Conversely, 20mm or above is hard to walk on and can increase the risk of injury. Pieces averaging around 12mm come recommended. Shape As with size, shape of gravel is important. Angular pieces fit together better than rounded, and hold more tightly when walked on. How To Maintain A Gravel Garden There are a few things you’ll need to do to keep your gravel garden in tip-top condition, although keep in mind what we said earlier: you’ll spend far less time doing these jobs than you would mowing and maintaining a grass garden! Here’s what you’ll need to do – Remove fallen leaves: leaves can discolour your gravel as they break down and disintegrate, meaning you’ll want to either pick up fallen leaves by hand or use a leaf blower to clear them away. Watch out for bird droppings! As with leaf matter, bird poo can have an enduring unsightly effect on your gravel. Try to prevent birds being able to perch above your gravel, but if the odd excrement manages to get through, spray or scrub it away. Keep an eye out for damp: over time, dampness and moisture can lend an ugly green hue to your gravel. This is especially noticeable on white and other light colours and, as with bird droppings, your best bet is preventing moisture in the first place rather than cleaning stones after the event. “Gravel will slowly accumulate organic matter from leaves, other organic debris and the action of soil life,” shares Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly. “One way I have found effective, rather than washing debris into the gravel, where it will build up above the membrane, is to use a weed burner. “This has the effect of burning off organic matter whilst controlling weeds and seeds.” Cleaning Your Gravel If you do find yourself needing to clean your gravel, there are a few options. A hosepipe and brush is your first port of call: simply spray and scrub to remove light blemishes. A pressure washer is a good option if the dirt is more ingrained. Just blast the gravel and watch the unsightly marks disappear. (Use a low or medium setting to avoid blasting gravel all over the place). In the case of a very localised mess, you can scrub individual stones with a hand brush to restore them to their former glory. Obviously, we don’t recommend this if you’re cleaning your entire supply, unless you’ve got a very small garden or an incredible amount of patience. Our top tip is to keep some spare gravel in reserve to cover over dirty areas if you don’t have the energy for cleaning.
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Here Are 8 Resourceful Ways You Can Use Wood Chips In The Garden
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Using Wood Chips As Mulch Nitrogen Sequestration 2) Composting Wood Chips 3) Using Them To Make New Growing Areas 4) Using Chips To Make Biochar 5) Growing Mushrooms 6) Using Wood Chips For Pathways 7) For Ground Cover In Recreational Areas 8) Creating Habitats For Wildlife With Wood Chips References Wood chips can be very useful in your garden – and there are many ways to use them. One important thing to note is that wood chips from different trees, and wood chips of different sizes, can have very different characteristics and those characteristics will determine how best they are used. Are you purchasing wood chip to use in your garden, or are you shredding material from your own garden? The latter option is generally the more sustainable choice. Investing in a garden shredder or wood chipper is a great idea, because it will allow you to avoid wood chips that are wrapped in plastic, or which have been processed in less green or environmentally friendly ways. A garden chipper If you have a shredder, you can avoid using dried woodchips, and can have more control over what is in the material. The best uses for wood chips in your garden include: Mulching around your plants Adding them to your compost pile Creating new growing areas with layered organic materials Making biochar Growing mushrooms in your garden Creating natural pathways Recreational groundcover for kids activities Creating new wildlife habitats See more detail on each of these uses below. 1) Using Wood Chips As Mulch One of the most common ways to use wood chips in a garden is as a mulch around your plants. However, while wood chips can sometimes be a wonderful mulch material, it helps to be careful about exactly where, how, and around which plants they are used. It is also important to choose the right wood chips for a particular project. One important thing to understand about wood chips is that when woody material breaks down, nitrogen is absorbed by the microorganisms involved in the process.1 This nitrogen is taken from the surrounding soil, and stored within the bodies of the micro-organisms, before being released when those micro-organisms die. Nitrogen Sequestration This sequestration of nitrogen is one of the main reasons why you have to be careful about where wood chips (with only wood, carbon-rich material) are used as mulch. Shredded branches which include some green vegetation along with the woody material will not lead to as significant a reduction in available soil nitrogen, since the leafy green material will provide extra nitrogen during the decomposition process.2 But where just woody material is used, as this material breaks down, there will be less nitrogen available in the soil for a period of time. This can sometimes have a detrimental effect on plants growing close by. “I have used wood chip as mulch around a variety of plants and have never found that it is detrimental to growth when laid on the surface,” says Horticultural Consultant Colin Skelly. “I am careful not to dig the wood chip into the soil to avoid nutrient sequestration. Where I have grown areas with and without mulch, the mulched areas have always demonstrated greater growth and health.” Shredded garden waste from tree pruning Placing non-composted wood chips around annual plants in a vegetable garden is sometimes a common practice. But it might not be the best idea, for the reason outlined above. The reduction in available nitrogen might compromise the growth – particularly of leafy annual plants. When wood chip is used in such a setting, it is best, therefore, to use it in combination with other organic materials, which are rich in nitrogen. Trees and shrubs will not typically be as affected by the temporary reduction in soil nitrogen as the woody material breaks down.3 And so using wood chips as mulch beneath trees, in a woodland or forest garden setting, or in a shrubbery or border, can be a good idea. The wood chip mulch can suppress grass and weed growth, protect the soil, conserve soil moisture, and create an environment that supports a fungal-dominant rather than a bacteria-dominant environment (which you want in a woodland or forest environment).4 2) Composting Wood Chips Heap of wood chips being used for composting If you want to use wood chips in a vegetable plot, or another area of your garden which has herbaceous plants, then composting it first is the best idea. When you compost wood chips before you use them, you avoid the issues with nitrogen sequestration, but can still take advantage of their properties and the nutrients they contain to maintain soil fertility. Remember, smaller chips will break down much more quickly than larger ones, and so will usually be better for adding to a composting system. Within a composting system, wood chips are treated as a ‘brown’ or carbon-rich material. They should be layered with plenty of ‘green’ nitrogen-rich materials for best results. Once the wood chips have been composted, along with other organic matter, the compost you create can be used as a valuable soil amendment throughout your garden. It can also be useful in making material to fill your pots and containers. 3) Using Them To Make New Growing Areas As well as composting wood chips in a separate composting system, another interesting use to consider is that you can compost them in place. In other words, you can create new growing areas where the organic materials are layered up to compost just as they would in a compost heap or bin. One of the easiest and cheapest ways to make new growing areas in your garden is to use a no dig approach. This involves layering materials like the ingredients in a lasagna to build new raised beds. You can use many materials from your own garden in these new no dig raised ‘lasagna’ beds. And wood chips are one of those materials. Layer carbon-rich materials like wood chips with nitrogen-rich materials like grass clipping, vegetable scraps and manures, then top these with compost, loam or topsoil into which you can plant. You can also use wood chips in the formation of hugelkultur mounds. These are basically lasagna beds which are mounded rather than flat on top. They contain a skeleton of rotting wood within which provides extra nutrients and stores water to prevent the growing area from drying out. The wood chips and other organic materials are layered around this skeleton of rotting wood. 4) Using Chips To Make Biochar In all of the options mentioned above, the wood chips help to improve the soil and add fertility. One final way to add organic matter and improve fertility in your garden is by making biochar – and wood chips can be used for this too. Biochar is charcoal, which has been enriched through steeping it in a nutrient-rich compost tea. Making biochar is something that can be beneficial, especially for gardeners with free-draining and nutrient-poor soils.5 The biochar can be buried in such soils to improve them, and can also increase soil carbon to help combat our climate crisis.6 5) Growing Mushrooms If you are focused on food production in your garden, then you may be interested to note that wood chips will not only be useful in growing plants. Wood chips can also be a useful replacement for soil when growing mushrooms in your garden. Wood chips in a shed, or in the shade beneath trees or shrubs can be inoculated with mushroom mycelium and kept moist to allow mushrooms to fruit. There are a number of different types of mushroom that you might be able to grow in wood chips in your garden. 6) Using Wood Chips For Pathways Of course, wood chips can also be very useful in other areas of your garden, outwith your growing areas. One obvious way that wood chips can be used is for pathways through your space. Wood chips which are larger will last longer, and won’t break down as quickly, but even smaller chips can be used for pathways. Though they will break down in place, and will need to be replenished over time, this can be useful, for example, around vegetable beds. The broken-down wood chip from paths through a vegetable garden can then be scooped onto the beds and used as a mulch. You can then replenish the paths and start the composting in place process over again. 7) For Ground Cover In Recreational Areas You can also use wood chips as ground cover for recreational areas in your garden. Again, these will break down over time and will need to be refreshed, but they can be a more eco-friendly and natural option than hard paved areas. 8) Creating Habitats For Wildlife With Wood Chips Finally, wood chips can also simply be piled in wilder corners, or placed into bug hotels or other wildlife-friendly features. A range of creatures will benefit if you use wood chips and other organic materials to make a range of habitats for the wildlife in your garden. These are just some of the main ways that you should think about using wood chips (ideally those you chip yourself from trees and shrubs) in your garden. References 1. The nitrogen cycle. (n.d.). Science Learning Hub. Retrieved March 27, 2023, from https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/960-the-nitrogen-cycle 2. Reduce Nitrogen Leaching. (2021, May 21). Yara United Kingdom. Retrieved March 27, 2023, from https://www.yara.co.uk/grow-the-future/efficient-farming/nitrogen-leaching/ 3. Woody waste: using as a mulch. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 27, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/soil-composts-mulches/woody-waste-using-as-mulch 4. Young, J. (2014, May 7). Fungal Soil: What Is It and Why Do We Want It? The Permaculture Research Institute. Retrieved March 27, 2023, from https://www.permaculturenews.org/2014/05/07/fungal-soil-want/ 5. Hertsgaard, M. (2014, January 21). As Uses of Biochar Expand, Climate Benefits Still Uncertain. Yale Environment 360. Retrieved March 27, 2023, from https://e360.yale.edu/features/as_uses_of_biochar_expand_climate_benefits_still_uncertain 6. Edwards, T. (2022, March 15). Carbon farming: applying biochar to increase soil carbon. Agriculture & Food. Retrieved March 27, 2023, from https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/soil-carbon/carbon-farming-applying-biochar-increase-soil-carbon
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How A Flat Roof Opens Up The Potential To Grow Your Own (Even When Space Is Limited)
IN THIS GUIDE Check The Roof Can Support The Garden Weight Roof Garden Design & Layout Choosing A Growing System Understanding Rooftop Environmental Factors Wind-Breaking & Privacy Creating Shade Harvesting Rainwater Choosing Containers & Creating Growing Areas Choosing Plants Creating city gardens means making the most of every inch of space, so here are some tips to help you create a roof garden. If you have a flat roof where you live, either on your own home, or a shared space on top of a block of flats or shared property, this article is for you. A flat roof can be a great spot to create a garden: it opens up the potential to grow your own even when space is limited, and it also brings many other benefits within an urban environment. Roof gardens can sequester carbon, clean the air, cool buildings, and, of course, provide an abundance of natural yields. They can be wonderfully rewarding and relaxing spaces to spend time and can re-green our grey cityscapes. But gardening on a flat roof takes a little thought: there are actually a number of things to consider that you could not usually have to consider if you were growing on the ground. Below are some tips to help you create the perfect flat roof garden spaces: Check The Roof Can Support The Garden Weight If you want to create a roof garden, load-bearing capacity is key. First and foremost, you need to make sure that the roof you are considering is strong enough to support the weight of a garden. You need to check its structural integrity, and ideally consult with a structural engineer who can determine whether the roof needs to be strengthened or provided with additional support in order to create the garden you wish to create. Safety is key, and you also need to think about practicalities. Is there easy access to the roof garden? Can people safely use the garden space? Roof Garden Design & Layout One of the main challenges when creating and maintaining a roof garden is access. It can be challenging to get materials and tools and other things you need up and down stairs. If the roof is suitable for a garden, therefore, one of the next things to consider is what elements need to be included in the design above and beyond the plants and planting areas themselves. Storage A key tip is to make sure, if possible, that there is somewhere on the roof itself where tools and materials can be stored. This might be a small tool shed – or, on a smaller roof – perhaps a storage area below a bench seat or other feature in the space. Weight is, of course, a key consideration in many roof gardens. But if you can find a space to store things on the roof itself, this will save a lot of time and effort for those who will be tending the garden. Composting Creating a composting area is another key thing to think about. Being able to create compost on the roof, or as close by as possible, can help you fill your pots or containers or raised beds more affordable, and in a more eco-friendly way. If it can be on the roof itself, this can be beneficial because it can avoid the need to lug heavy materials up and down stairs. Seating In addition to thinking about design and layout for planting areas or containers, you should also think about human enjoyment. It can be helpful to think about where a seating area could be incorporated for garden users to enjoy the views and/or enjoy spending time in their beautiful new garden. Incorporating seating areas in a design can help you develop a holistic and integrated plan. Choosing A Growing System Rooftop hydroponics could be one interesting option On a flat roof that is of sufficient strength and integrity, you can grow food, flowers and other plants in much the same way that you would in a container garden or planter gardens on a patio at ground level. However, on the top of a building, it is often important to think about weight. This is not something that you would usually have to consider when gardening at ground level. Again, make sure you consult an expert to have an idea of how much weight your particular roof can support. Even with weight restrictions, however, there are plenty of exciting growing systems to consider. You could: Grow food in planters or enclosed raised beds. Start a typical container garden in pots. Add vertical gardens, hanging baskets etc. to make the most of vertical space. Grow food hydroponically, in water rather than soil or growing media. And even potentially consider an aquaponics system, with fish as well as plants. When choosing a growing system for your roof garden, you need to consider not only weight but also a range of other factors. Space, your own preference, and of course environmental factors all need to be considered. Understanding Rooftop Environmental Factors Understanding environmental factors on a flat roof begins with simple observation. Make sure you spend some time on the roof, and think about the conditions that are found there before you start thinking about layout, growing method, and plant choices. Wind Typically, a roof garden will be more exposed than a garden at ground level. Many roof gardens are windier than gardens at ground level, which is something that you can mediate through good garden design. Sun Roof gardens are also often less shaded than other sites. While some roof gardens may be shaded by another part of a particular building, or by other taller buildings in the vicinity, many will be in full sun. A full sun site can be beneficial, and you can often grow a wide range of plants. Water However, one thing to bear in mind is that, especially in a full sun site with wind exposure, things can dry out more quickly. Since plants grown in raised beds and pots often require more water than plants grown in the ground in any location, water shortage can quickly become an issue in some roof gardens. So access to water, and how easy it will be to meet water needs, is another incredibly important consideration. Wind-Breaking & Privacy A roof garden in London Wind-breaking for a flat roof garden can go hand in hand with privacy considerations for the space. City roof gardens can not only often be exposed, they can also often be overlooked. Creating wind-breaking and privacy screens can often involve the placement of small trees in containers, shrubs, bamboo or tall grasses. Creating green, lush barriers around at least some edges of the space can help block prevailing winds and give privacy. They can also mean that a wider range of plants can successfully be grown at the centre of the space. When it comes to planting up a roof garden, border plants for wind-breaking and/or privacy are often some of the first plants to consider. Creating Shade If your roof garden is in full sun, things can quickly heat up and dry out during the summer months, especially with the city heat-island effect. While this can bring opportunities, it can bring up challenges too. One key thing to think about is how you might be able to create some shade to reduce plant stress and reduce water needs in your roof garden. Creating shade might sometimes mean adding a man-made structure, but more often, it involves the careful combination of different plants. Trees, shrubs and other taller plants can create shade for other plants or seating areas beneath them. Harvesting Rainwater One other very important consideration when planning a roof garden is where water will come from. Of course, you should try to reduce water needs as much as you can. “You can do this by choosing the right growing method or methods, by creating wind-breaks and shade, and selecting plants with less watering requirements,” says Professional Gardener and Horticulturist Roy Nicol. But you also need to think about where the water comes from in the first place. If possible, try to think about how you can collect and harvest rainwater on your roof. Even placing a few buckets or other open containers on the roof could reduce water needs – where connecting to guttering etc. is not possible. If water is to come from below, you will need to think about how the water will make its way upwards, since you’ll soon find it impracticable to carry watering cans up and down stairs on a regular basis. Choosing Containers & Creating Growing Areas No matter what method of growing you choose to employ, the materials you choose for your roof garden are key. Making or choosing planters or containers for your roof garden will involve careful thought. You will also need to think carefully about how you fill those planters or containers. Remember, on many roofs, weight is a key consideration. Even where the roof is strong, it can be tricky to carry heavier containers and materials up to the roof. Choosing lighter-weight materials can often be a good idea. In areas where water could be a concern, it is also often important to choose containers or planter materials that retain water. Reclaimed plastic containers, or wood, can often be better choices than heavy and porous materials like terracotta. However, there is a trade-off – and you also need to make sure that things you choose for your roof will not blow away. Choosing Plants Once you have a good idea of layout and method, and have an idea which containers you will use or growing areas you will create, you need to think carefully about plants. When it comes to choosing plants for a roof garden, you have plenty of choices. Many smaller trees, shrubs, fruits and vegetables, herbs and flowers can be ideal for a roof garden. Just make sure you think about the needs of the things you wish to grow, and the conditions on your roof before you make your choices for the space.
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Experts Weigh In On How To Find The Right Gardener For You (And Making It Work)
IN THIS GUIDE Why You Might Need A Gardener How To Find The Right Gardener How Often Do I Need A Gardener? How To Make The Client & Gardener Relationship Work References Finding the right gardener for you and your garden can feel a bit of a daunting task, but it needn’t be. We’ll cover why you might need a gardener and what to look for when finding one, hopefully making it an enjoyable and beneficial process for all involved. Why You Might Need A Gardener Prior to jumping online and finding the closest option, taking on a gardener is a decision that requires some consideration. You might need some help with the maintenance, advice, planting up or even redesigning some aspects. A gardener can be a great help not only in the short term, but also in the long term. With the right fit, some gardeners stay with the property’s owners or garden long term, sometimes for decades, so it is worth trying to get it right from the start. More Manpower Sometimes you might just need an extra pair of hands or some more manpower in the garden as a one-off. Perhaps you’ve moved into a new home and the garden has been left for a few weeks, or dare I say months and just needs getting back into shape. Gardening can sometimes be testing work You may want to make a new border and the thought of stripping off the turf and digging the ground over is a step too far, or you may just want to outsource certain parts of the garden, for instance the job of hedge cutting to a local company. Expertise Gardeners are often taken on for their skills, knowledge or specialist tools and equipment. Your garden may have high hedges or topiary that need cutting safely and precisely, have a vegetable patch that needs planting up or you may have rows of espaliered fruit trees that need pruning correctly twice a year. Either way, these are tasks that may affect your choice of gardener, depending on their skills and training. According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) approximately 87,000 gardening and garden DIY-related accidents occur each year.1 If you don’t have the correct tools or equipment, it is well worth employing a professional gardener or company to do it for you, not only might it save you any potential injury, but leave you with a professional finish. Save Time And Money We live in an age where time is money and you may feel that your time is better off spent doing other things than gardening. With so many priorities vying for our time, gardening can often get bumped down the to-do list or even become a weekend chore. If this is the case, then taking on a gardener could free you up to focus on other things and leave you to enjoy your garden, even if the actual gardening isn’t your thing. Employing the right gardener may even end up saving you money. A well-kept and inviting garden is a great asset to a home and can add significant value, especially in the current housing market. A well-kept garden is a sight to behold It is all too easy to buy a shrub or climber and plant it where you think it will look good, only to find that it shrivels up and dies several months down the line. Plants need to be planted where they will not only survive, but flourish. This means planting them where they will receive the correct amount of sunlight, rainfall and temperatures to be endured. Not to mention what eventual size, soil, drainage and nutrient requirements they may have. The right gardener will know what to plant and where, potentially saving you hundreds of pounds of plants lost to the compost heap. How To Find The Right Gardener Perhaps the best starting place to find the right gardener is by asking a neighbour or local friend with a garden you admire. Personal recommendations are key and often a good way into a busy gardener’s books. A good gardener may well be booked up for several months or even have a waiting list, but don’t let this put you off as they may well be worth waiting for. If you need some one-off help, you may be better off contacting a larger garden maintenance firm, who might have several maintenance teams on the go and potentially more availability. Professional gardeners can often be found online, whether through their own website or through an organisation such as The Gardeners Guild.2 “Look out for membership of other professional bodies, such as the Professional Gardeners’ Guild and the Institute of Horticulture,” says Horticulturist Colin Skelly. “Chartered status, indicated by the designation CHort, means that their knowledge, skills and experience have passed an assessment by the industry’s chartered institute. “Don’t be shy about asking to see certificates, testimonials and examples of previous work. “The difference between a gardener who knows their stuff and one that doesn’t is night and day in what they’ll deliver in your garden.” Or a dedicated agency such as English Country Gardeners. Other places worth contacting for recommendations are your local plant nurseries, horticulture colleges and garden centres. Whoever you find, don’t be afraid to ask for a reference, as any good gardener should be able to provide a reference or two for you to follow up. Research their background and skills and look for any specialisms you may require, such as topiary or fruit and vegetable growing. Qualifications And Experience To get the best out of your garden and have it looking its best for you to enjoy, make sure you look for a gardener with qualifications and or experience. It is not just about qualifications though, as some gardeners may have trained with organisations such as the Working For Gardeners Association (WFGA) or under another gardener.4 It may be tempting to find a cheaper option, but this may well end up costing you more in the long run. It would be too disheartening, not to mention annoying, to find that your newly planted annuals are mistakenly ‘weeded out’ or a prized shrub is pruned at the wrong time of year by someone unqualified or inexperienced. If you would like your gardener to use pesticides in your garden, then they should have the appropriate spraying certificates, including the PA1 and PA6 certifications.5 If you would like them to do chainsaw work then they will need the appropriate qualification and a license to take away any green waste if required.6 Insurance Accidents can happen, so make sure anyone you take on has the appropriate public liability insurance to protect against damage to you and your property and potentially professional indemnity insurance if they are designing aspects for your garden as well.7 A broken window or patio glass door is not something you want to have to quibble about if a stone is accidentally flicked up by a passing strimmer. Tools & Equipment Expect your gardener to provide their own tools and equipment. If not and they use your tools and equipment and work for you regularly on days specified by you, you may end up being considered as their employer, rather than their client.8 This could lead to you becoming responsible for any employers’ liabilities. How Often Do I Need A Gardener? This is often dictated by the size of the garden and whether it is extensively planted or is more simply laid out. If it is just the lawns that need cutting, then a weekly or fortnightly visit may suffice for the length of time it takes to mow. Or if you have a couple of acres that need keeping on top of, then a day a week may be required. It is important to remember that a professional gardener with the correct equipment may be able to accomplish a lot more in the same time than someone who is not properly qualified or equipped. Gardeners tend to work all year round, as there are many horticultural tasks that need carrying out during the winter months. So don’t be surprised if your new gardener suggests regular visits throughout the year depending on what needs doing. How To Make The Client & Gardener Relationship Work We often do our best when we enjoy our work and a gardener is no different. Match Garden Styles When inquiring about a gardener ask them what garden styles they like most, what are their favourite plants and what do they think they could add to your garden. You’ll get a flavour of what they enjoy doing and whether they might be a good fit for both you and your garden. Trust and respect are needed on both sides of the relationship and good communication is essential to make sure you as the client are happy with the results and your gardener wants to come back. Agree Terms In Writing Agree everything in writing and enter into a written contract with your new gardener before they start – this way there is much less chance of any confusion and you both know where you stand.9 Good gardeners can be hard to come by and often work in every extreme the UK weather can throw at them, so be mindful of this. A warm cup of tea and a shed to hide out the worst shower, or cold drinks and a shaded area to work in during the height of summer goes a long way. References 1. What are the most common garden accidents? (n.d.). RoSPA. Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://www.rospa.com/faqs/detail?id=80 2. The Gardener’s Guild. (n.d.). Welcome to the Gardeners Guild. Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://thegardenersguild.co.uk/ 4. WFGA Homepage. (n.d.). WFGA. Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://www.wfga.org.uk/ 5. PA1 & PA6a (Knapsack or Hand-held Applicator). (n.d.). Askham Bryan College Online Store. Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://store.askham-bryan.ac.uk/short-courses/york/gardening-floristry/pa1-pa6a-knapsack-or-handheld-applicator 6. Changes to the training and assessment of chainsaw operators. (2013, July 3). Health and Safety Executive. Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://www.hse.gov.uk/foi/internalops/sims/ag_food/010402.htm 7. Gardeners Public Liability Insurance. (n.d.). The Gardener’s Guild. Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://www.thegardenersguild.co.uk/gardeners_public_liability_insurance.html 8. Self-Employed Contractors. (n.d.). CIPD. Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://www.cipd.co.uk/Images/self-employed-contractors-guide-web_tcm18-70390.pdf 9. Garden Maintenance Contract Terms of Business Template. (n.d.). The Gardener’s Guild. Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://thegardenersguild.co.uk/Garden_Maintenance_Contract_Terms_Conditions_Template.html
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8 Tips For Planting And Gardening On A Slope (From Landscape Gardeners)
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Start Planning 2) Consider Gradients 3) Use Terracing 4) Utilise Drainage & Planting 5) Grow Mat-Forming Plants 6) Introduce Deep Rooted Plants 7) Embrace Rock Gardens 8) Or Scree Gardens… References Gardening on a slope doesn’t have to be the nightmare it is sometimes envisaged as being. An incline can certainly bring some challenges, but these are not insurmountable and also provides some creative opportunities that you wouldn’t have compared to a flat area. Some of the most beautiful and creative gardens are built on slopes, including the Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall.1 Sloping gardens can provide great vantage points which would not be possible on a level garden and views either from or towards the house. Whether your plants struggle to thrive or the gradient is such that water runs down the slope, don’t worry – we’ll cover how these challenges can be overcome and how your garden on a slope can thrive. 1) Start Planning Whether you have a small sloping border or an acre or two of sloping garden, planning is essential. It is so worth taking the time to assess the site and plan, before getting the spade out or hiring a landscaper. The site’s gradient, aspect and drainage will have a huge deciding factor on what can be grown and how. From a small border that can be levelled by a wooden sleeper to a garden requiring heavily engineered retaining walls, assessing the requirements and planning accordingly could not only help avoid costly pitfalls, but help you create wonderful and usable space. Gardening on a large slope has the potential to exhaust even the fittest of us, but with careful thought this can be minimised. Lower maintenance areas can be placed furthest from the house and more intensive areas such as vegetable patches nearest, lessening trips up and down. Shallow meandering paths are far easier on the legs, especially with a wheelbarrow in hand and offer the chance to take in hidden parts of the garden. Safety must be considered, especially where children and pets are present – along with the safe use of any garden machinery on a slope. Irrigation is key and a well thought through drainage plan, irrigation system or tap placements can make all the difference to the planting scheme and the garden as a whole. 2) Consider Gradients Maybe it is just one border that slopes a little or the whole of your property and garden. Either way, it is important to work out the gradient of the slope in order to understand what you are working with and the potential solutions available. It is possible to work out the gradient of the slope with a tape measure and some relatively simple math, or alternatively a professional gardener or landscaper would be able to work this out for you. This gradient will help determine your options for planting, access and for maintenance. For example, water will run off on an incline of 50% and not be able to penetrate down to the plants’ roots and most domestic mowers will advise against use on a slope of more than 10-20%.2 When it comes to the actual planting it is generally recognised that a 1:3 (33%) slope is the maximum allowable to give the plants a good chance. A slope of 1:3 (33%) can be successfully planted with certain plants, shrubs and trees, but if you are dealing with a steeper incline a more structural approach would be needed. Before you start, take a look at what is already there and make a note of what is doing well and what is struggling. Does the rain simply run off down the slope eroding the soil as it goes or are there any trees and shrubs that are helping bind the slope together or creating shade and dry areas? “It can be challenging to maintain and plant steep slopes and, assuming you don’t want to landscape, with solutions like terracing, how do you access steep slopes easily?” asks Master Horticulturist Dan Ori. “I may have a solution for you that I have used in a garden, I used a ladder lain against the bank and fitted it in place so it didn’t move and shuffled up and down it using it just like a ladder against a house. “If planting bulbs or small plants, this way you can plant in between the runs of the ladder working from the top down. I planted 5000 bulbs using this technique but to save my back I didn’t plant all 5000 in one day.” 3) Use Terracing Wooden poles used as palisades Terracing usually includes one or more new levels of varying height as needed for the slope in question and can be made from brick, concrete block, wooden sleepers or rock-filled gabions. “Playing with the levels of a garden can help to make it look bigger,” shares Bunny Guinness, award-winning Landscape Architect. “Maximise the levels in your garden as that can help and add a bit of drama.” The structural and drainage requirements will often dictate the most suitable material to use and often be reinforced with steel rebar if required. In all but the smallest borders, the retaining walls will be holding back considerable weight, requiring professional construction and consultation with a structural engineer. When considering terracing as an option it is also important to bear in mind the design of steps or pathways to access the higher levels and whether these will need extra grip or handrails to keep them safe. Lugging gardening tools, children’s play equipment or even food for the BBQ is no fun if the steps are steep or the paths slippery. If the garden is being professionally landscaped do consider the options of installing an irrigation system or at the least a hose tap at the end furthest from the house to avoid trying to carry endless watering cans up and down. Terracing, especially on a large scale is not cheap, but maybe the only option to form level areas for planting and seating areas. Even though potentially costly, terracing a garden can be incredibly creative and allow for exciting design ideas such as sunken seating areas and eye level planting schemes. 4) Utilise Drainage & Planting If the slope does not require terracing it is still important to think carefully about the drainage and planting. Typically, the area at the top of the slope will be drier than the bottom where it will drain down to. Water can collect behind the retaining walls, especially if they are impervious, leading to added pressure issues. This can be potentially be addressed by incorporating gravel drainage behind the wall and weep holes in the wall to allow water to drain out. If soil erosion is a problem, then ground cover plants and deeper rooted or mat-forming plants will help deflect the rainfall, bind the soil together and minimise soil runoff. Even creating a mini terrace around each plant or shrub can help and is easily achievable with a few bricks pushed into the soil just below the plant. This will allow the water to settle around the plant and not wash away the soil and nutrients. Colourful floral displays are still possible on sloped areas! Mulching the planted area will help limit any erosion as well as retaining moisture. Larger mulch such as bark or straw is less likely to be washed away than finer ones, but will still allow water to reach the ground. 5) Grow Mat-Forming Plants Weeding a sloping border is not easy. Mat forming and ground cover plants will block the light to the soil below and thus hopefully reduce the need for weeding. The choice of plants will be dictated by the garden style, aspect and drainage requirements but ground cover plants include; Ajuga reptans (bugle), Alchemilla mollis (lady’s mantle) and Vinca minor (periwinkle). Beware of using vinca though as it can become invasive. 6) Introduce Deep Rooted Plants “Look at how nature does it,” says Garden Designer Ann-Marie Powell. You’ll want to use plants that will grow on mountains and you’ll also need plants that will hold the soil together. “There are lots of plants that will grow rhizomatously and will multiply by putting their roots underground and popping up elsewhere.” Deeper rooted plants tend to stabilise and hold the soil together and thus reduce erosion. These can include trees, shrubs and perennials. Shrubs can work well on a slope – putting roots deep into the soil and requiring relatively low maintenance.3 “There are plants like Euphorbia robbiae that will spread and hold the ground together,” says Ann-Marie. “E robbiae is a lovely plant with great yellow bracts that is perfect for this time of year. “Things like Pachysandra terminalis will also hold the ground together and spread rhizomatously.” “With all these ground covers, I’d really recommend you stuff in so many bulbs underneath them so they change perpetually through the seasons.” Shrubs could also include Forsythia, Cotoneaster horizontalis (rockspray) or Ceanothus (Californian lilac). Sun-loving prairie plants and shade-loving ferns can also do well on a slope depending on the aspect. 7) Embrace Rock Gardens These rock steps act as a focal point of the garden Rock gardens or rockeries can be a great way of adding interest and structure to a sloping border or garden. Suitable for alpine plants, a rockery requires a sunny site and so needs to be situated away from shading trees. Using existing rocks and boulders or using locally sourced reclaimed materials will help achieve the natural style. Alpine plants can be spring, summer or winter-flowering – injecting colour into the sloped area in a naturalistic style. They require a free-draining soil mix and can be suited to both sun and partial shade. Alpines are naturally hardy coming from mountainous regions and suitable for most climates here in the UK. 8) Or Scree Gardens… Scree gardens are taken from the naturally forming scree slopes on mountains. Scree is essentially an accumulation of small stones or rock fragments and as with rock gardens, needs excellent drainage. Scree gardens are created on a base layer of coarser rocks or rubble, covered with a free-draining mix of gravel and soil and finally a layer of limestone or gravel chippings. Scree planting can provide a creative opportunity and can include spring and summer flowering plants, often low growing and not found in a typical garden border. Cacti in a scree garden Common examples of scree plants and bulbs include Anemone blanda, Campanula alpina and Aster alpinus. Slopes in a garden offer can offer some fantastic potential, so don’t let gardening on a slope put you off, as with careful planning and consideration it can offer some creative opportunities that an otherwise level area might not. If this all seems like too much, you might also be interested in tips for levelling a sloped garden. References 1. The UK’s most-loved garden, and finest restoration project. (n.d.). The Lost Gardens of Heligan. Retrieved March 22, 2023, from https://www.heligan.com/ 2. Water Runs Downhill: Managing Runoff on Steep Slopes. (2021). Southern Tier Central Regional Planning & Development. Retrieved March 22, 2023, from https://www.stcplanning.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/WaterRunsDownhill_Guidance.pdf 3. Pierret, A., Maeght, J., Clément, C., Montoroi, J., Hartmann, C., & Gonkhamdee, S. (2016, October). Understanding deep roots and their functions in ecosystems: an advocacy for more unconventional research. Oxford Academic: Annals of Botany. Retrieved March 22, 2023, from https://academic.oup.com/aob/article/118/4/621/2196536
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Create Your Own Small Meadow Garden In Just 5 Steps (Annual Or Perennial Options)
IN THIS GUIDE Why Create A Small Meadow Garden? 1) Choose A Meadow Type 2) Choose A Site 3) Choose A Planting Method 4) Prepare The Area 5) Select Your Plants References Creating a small meadow garden is a great way to create a beautiful and wildlife-friendly space. Let’s take a look at the benefits of creating this type of planting scheme in more depth. And then, how you should go about creating one where you live. Why Create A Small Meadow Garden? Greater Knapweed and Centaurea scabiosa in a beautiful meadow landscape Meadow grasslands are unfortunately an endangered habitat here in the UK, and in many other parts of the world.1 Climate change, land-use changes, farming and other human activity, species losses and a range of other factors mean that meadows are increasingly rare features in our landscapes.2 And their biodiversity is also under increasing pressure in a range of different ways. By making a small native meadow garden at home, you can play a small role in preserving and protecting meadow species, and in halting worrying biodiversity losses. Here are just some of the reasons why meadow habitats are habitats we should value and take steps to preserve: Meadows can be useful carbon sinks – deep-rooted grasses and wildflowers within such systems help store carbon in the soil.3 A meadow garden is far more biodiverse than a boring neat grass lawn. It can turn an area of your garden from a labour intensive ecological wasteland into a productive, thriving ecosystem.4 Small meadow gardens can also be great alternatives to more formal flower beds or borders. Wildflowers found in a meadow can be just as beautiful as more traditional ornamental garden plants. Meadow flowers are great for bees and many other pollinators, and also aid a wide range of other wildlife in your garden. And when there is wildlife, your job as a gardener will be easier too, because you will have the help of an army of creatures to help you in organic pest control, fertility, and other jobs in your garden.5 Meadows can also be full of many useful edible plants, or plants which are useful to us in a range of other ways. 1) Choose A Meadow Type If you have decided to create a small meadow garden, the first thing to understand is that there are different types of meadow to consider. “My favourite plants this month are definitely the colourful mixes of annuals in the Pictorial Meadows trial I am running,” shares Elaine from The 3 Growbags. “I have followed the work of Nigel Dunnet and the Sheffield School of Gardening for several years now and sowed three different Annual Pictorial Meadow mixes this spring, including Candy, Classic and Kingfisher. “They’re just hitting their stride now and look fantastic. I’m also looking forward to watching how the seeds they produce will act as a food bank for birds over the winter.” One of the first decisions you will have to make is whether you will create a perennial meadow, which will come back year after year, or an annual meadow, for which seeds will be sown each year. Perennial Meadows Perennial meadows are ideal for a low-maintenance garden. They are often a good choice when looking to establish a meadow garden where there is an existing lawn. This type of meadow is unlike many other garden planting schemes in that it actually thrives on neglect. A less fertile area is ideal, because it allows wildflowers to thrive without being outcompeted by vigorous grasses. Annual Meadows Annual meadows can be a good option if you are looking for stunning ornamental displays for a bed or border. The ground can be somewhat more fertile for this type of meadow, which means this can be a good choice for previously cultivated or fertilised areas. This type of meadow does take a bit more work. You’ll need to start with a clear, weeded area, and while some plants may reliably self-seed, you may need to sow seeds each year. However, such planting schemes offer beautiful displays of colourful annual blooms over 3-4 months of the year. 2) Choose A Site If you are looking for a site for a small perennial meadow garden, you need often look no further than an existing area of lawn in your garden. If the lawn has been ‘neglected’ and has not been fertilised, then creating a small meadow garden in place of a standard grass lawn can be the ideal choice. It is also, of course, possible to create an area of perennial meadow from scratch, working from bare soil. Especially if the area in question is not particularly rich in nutrients. Most annual meadow plants thrive in areas of full sun, but there are also specific plant mixes that can work well in the dappled shade below trees, or in a partially shaded area. More free-draining soil conditions generally make it easier to establish such a garden and so you should generally avoid areas with particularly heavy or waterlogged soil. Deep shade areas also are not ideal for the establishment of a small meadow garden. 3) Choose A Planting Method Wildflower seeds Once you have decided whether you would like to create a perennial meadow or an annual meadow, and have decided where to place your new garden area, it is time to decide on a strategy for creating your new small meadow garden. There are three main choices when it comes to creating this type of garden. Which one you opt for will depend on a range of factors – such as location, time constraints and budget. Sow Seeds The first and cheapest option is to sow seeds, and this is a strategy that can be employed whether you are working from existing lawn cover (for a perennial meadow) or bare soil. There are a range of different wildflower mixes which can be purchased relatively cheaply for both types of meadow garden. Seeds should be sown in March or April, or in September. Early autumn sowing can be best in areas with light, free-draining soils, while spring sowing is typically best for areas with heavier, wetter soils. Utilise Plug Plants A slightly more expensive, but quicker option is to buy plug plants. If you have a good idea already of which plants will thrive in your area then this is one way to achieve a surer and quicker result. Plug plants can establish a meadow more quickly, and can be placed into a lawn for a perennial meadow scheme, or placed in bare soil to create a new meadow of either type. Use Meadow Turf An even easier option is to buy sections of meadow turf, or meadow matting. These established turfs can be used to create a new meadow in next to no time at all on areas of bare soil. A number of companies now offer this option for time-short gardeners. 4) Prepare The Area If you are preparing an area of existing lawn to turn into a small perennial meadow garden, you should begin by raking over the existing grass to uncover areas of bare soil into which seeds can be sown or plug plants can be placed. If you are creating a new meadow garden on bare soil, then you should rake over the area and remove all weeds. Then sow, plant or place a wildflower turf over this area. You should water in well, and then continue to water regularly until the area becomes established. Remember not to add any fertility, especially if you are trying to establish a perennial garden that will thrive on poor soil. If the area is relatively fertile and you would like to establish a meadow garden, consider sowing a cover crop of mustard before you begin. Then pull the mustard when it is in flower, and proceed to sow or plant your meadow area. 5) Select Your Plants When choosing plants for a small meadow garden, it is important to consider not only which type of meadow you are creating and where you are creating it, but also where you live. The native meadow plants for the southeast of England, for example, will not be entirely the same as those that will thrive further north. It is important to think about your soil type, local microclimate and other such factors when choosing the right plants to include in your meadow garden. One key type of plant to include in a wildflower meadow are plants which are semi-parasitic, and stop grasses from dominating the system. This is especially important in areas where you want to establish meadow wildflowers in a lawn. Horticulturist Colin Skelly suggests that “lawns contain a large number of species that exist under the mowing cut height. “If you just stop regularly mowing a lawned area it will become a meadow if: one – you cut it sparingly annually, and two – you remove the mown plant material after cutting.” The most widely used lawn meadow plant is yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor). Other common plants for perennial meadows include: Buttercups Clovers Cowslips Daisies Dandelions Grasses Knapweeds Meadow Crane’s Bill Trefoils Vetches Wild Carrot Common annual meadow hayfield flowers include: Chamomile Corncockle Cornflowers Corn Marigold Poppies References 1. O’Malley, T. (2022, May 11). Wildflower favourites are in danger due to devastation of grasslands and meadows. Discover Wildlife. Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://www.discoverwildlife.com/news/wildflower-favourites-are-in-danger-due-to-devastation-of-grasslands-and-meadows/ 2. Protecting England’s Meadows |. (n.d.). English Heritage. Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/conservation/gardens-and-landscapes/meadow-conservation/ 3. Meadows beat out shrubs when it comes to storing carbon: Six universities are uncovering the dynamics of carbon storage in high-latitude alpine zones. (2017, November 17). Science Daily. Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/11/171123094330.htm 4. Lawson, C. (2021, May 21). Make a meadow, whatever the scale and the diversity of meadows. The Open University. Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://www.open.edu/openlearn/nature-environment/environmental-studies/make-meadow-whatever-the-scale-and-the-diversity-meadows 5. Planting for Pollinators: Establishing a Wildflower Meadow from Seed | 1 Extension. (2021, December 8). University of New Hampshire. Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://extension.unh.edu/resource/planting-pollinators-establishing-wildflower-meadow-seed-fact-sheet
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7 Garden Privacy Plant Ideas From Professional Garden Designers
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Fast-Growing, Evergreen Trees 2) Privacy Hedges Or Living Walls 3) Climbers On Fencing 4) Tall Ferns 5) A Grove Of Bamboo 6) Brick Wall With Integrated Planters, Pegs & Hooks 7) Trellis Planters & Vines And Combinations Galore References Though it is a given that you engage in garden activities with an expectation of privacy, increased restrictions on movement coupled with rising population density mean that you spend more time in your garden but with more breaches of your privacy. In an age when British lifestyles are gradually undergoing permanent adaptation and alteration, a garden doubles as both a sanctuary and as ‘The Great Outdoors’. We lay out seven planting solutions to improve garden privacy with a total focus on year-round privacy. Each of several of our general solutions contains within it three or four options or sub-ideas. We are quite sure that you will find at least a couple of solutions that you will go for. 1) Fast-Growing, Evergreen Trees The Sparkling Foliage and Symmetrical Form of Tulip Poplar The first solution that comes to mind when one thinks about garden privacy is – of course – trees. “I love trees and they are great for screening,” shares Danny Clarke, acclaimed Garden Designer, also known as The Black Gardener. “People tend to be frightened of them because they think they’ll be high maintenance or expensive (if they need to hire a tree surgeon), but there is a tree for every situation. “Trees, when strategically placed, can give you the privacy you want in a garden and are also great for the environment. “They bring down carbon from the atmosphere and lock it back into the earth where it belongs.” When you choose trees for the express purpose of improving garden privacy, the two primary selection criteria have to be rate of growth and foliage. Ornamental value ranks (a distant) third. The tree should grow at a brisk rate and boast evergreen foliage. However, the tree also has to be of a type that is pest-resistant and disease-free, and whose wood is of good quality, i.e. will not be prone to rot or snap off in high winds. “Trees are a really good plant for privacy,” adds Flo Headlam, a Garden Designer & Tv Personolaity. “Check the height and spread of any plant before growing and consider what type of tree you want as well as what you want to block out.” As Flo says, you will want a tree of the right height as well – Leyland Cypress is a common choice but one you may consider being overused.1 “This tree has caused countless problems between neighbours as it can grow relatively quickly up to 20m, which is beyond a normal hedge height of 2-3m,” says Master Horticulturist Roy Nicol. “It also does not regrow from old wood, so when cut back hard, it does not re-green and stays an unattractive brown.” Green Giant Arborvitae aka Thuja Green Giant is a very dense evergreen with needle-like leaves of a brilliant green hue. This drought-tolerant tree forms a natural screen. See this list for more fast-growing tree ideas. 2) Privacy Hedges Or Living Walls Privet Hedges Deliver Significant Ornamental Value in the Summer “Obviously, you’ve got your pleached trees that will go all the way around a garden, but you can just put a large multi-stemmed shrub around your seating area so you’re not literally enclosing yourself in all the way around your garden boundaries,” says Ann-Marie Powell, Garden Designer. Privacy hedges are often called ‘living walls’ and are the ‘standard’ garden privacy solution. But, let’s face it, far too many hedges are simply functional and do not deliver any decorative value. Other popular hedges, such as Forsythia, lose their leaves in the winter. Privet Hedge Privet Hedge is the default favourite and this is one hedge that deserves its reputation. It is evergreen in most regions of the UK, is easy to shape, and has sparkling rich green foliage.2 Varieties include Green or Common Privet, Wild Privet, Golden Privet, and North Privet. In summer they bear clusters of fragrant white flowers, adding to their beauty. Thuja Green Giant (Again!) Though Green Giant Arborvitae aka Thuja Green Giant is actually a tree, this evergreen conifer can readily be pruned and shaped to make a great privacy hedge. It is disease-resistant, low maintenance, and tough. It emits a very refreshing woodsy scent. Nellie R. Stevens Holly Greatly ‘upping’ the ante from an ornamental perspective is Nellie R. Stevens Holly. This so-called ‘Holly’ is actually a hybrid evergreen shrub that can be purchased in tree form or bush form. In bush form, with a bit of help from you, it will grow into a marvellously ornamental privacy screen that will produce clusters of creamy flowers in autumn and bright red berries in winter. “This tree is appreciated by wildlife, with birds using it as shelter and enjoying the red berries,” says Roy. 3) Climbers On Fencing Wouldn’t a Clematis ‘Apple Blossom’ Screen Look Fantastic in the Summer? A privacy screen that is as perfectly functional as it is pleasingly decorative can be achieved by installing high wire fencing and growing several (or many) climbers over it. “With adequate space, Clematis armandii can cover a fence or trellis over 5m high and is evergreen with fragrant star-shaped white flowers in the spring,” adds Roy. First, we should note that though Hydrangeas may seem like a top option, they are not good choices because the hardy varieties are deciduous and the evergreen ones are not hardy. Japanese Honeysuckle Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) is evergreen in most parts of the United Kingdom (or semi-evergreen in the coldest areas). This is a vigorous climber with intensely green foliage. It bears fragrant white and yellow flowers in the summer, turning into shiny black berries in autumn. Rosa banksiae Rosa banksiae is a yellow or cream flowered rambling rose with brilliant foliage; it will cover a large area and is evergreen in milder areas. Clematis Clematis is a top candidate. Excellent choices include evergreen cultivars ‘Ben’s Beauty’, ‘Enham Star’, ‘Freckles’, ‘Apple Blossom’, and ‘Wisley Cream’. All have attractive foliage and bear flowers, including coloured, scented, or winter blooms. Euonymus forunei ‘Coloratus’ For a pure foliage play, try Euonymus fortunei ‘Coloratus’ or Purple Wintercreeper. Although technically a trailing creeper, it will happily climb any vertical surface and form a lush wall of deep, brilliant green leaves that provide autumn and winter interest as they change colour to reds and purples. English Ivy And then, of course, there’s English Ivy, which needs no introduction. 4) Tall Ferns Plug Trouble Spots with a Dense Growth of Sword Fern You may already have good garden privacy but are worried about a few trouble spots or gaps that you need to plug. An unusual and eye-catching way of doing so is with tall ferns. Most tall ferns are either deciduous or frost-tender, and all require at least some shade. Ostrich Fern If you can live with a ‘screening fern’ that is deciduous but is remarkably pretty, fully hardy, and attains a height of about 1.5m, go with RHS Award of Garden Merit recipient Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris, often known as Shuttlecock Fern).3 Sword Fern That out of the way, there is one big fern that offers year-round greenery and is hardy to boot – be introduced to Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum), also an RHS Award of Garden Merit recipient. This very sizeable fern attains an eventual height of 1.25m with a spread to match. However, it does not grow very fast. The workaround is to buy a young but good-sized plant and hire professionals to transplant it in a raised bed. Sword Fern has attractive foliage – pinnate, deeply divided leaves that are a bright green; that classic ‘leafy green’ hue. Add to that its rounded form, and we have an architectural plant that – besides filling in that problem gap – will display wonderfully well, especially in twos or threes. 5) A Grove Of Bamboo Not-so-Tall but Dense and Bushy Umbrella Bamboo Forms a Natural Screen “Bamboo is a good one for privacy and screening, but you have to be careful to plant a clump-forming type as opposed to bamboo that is going to run,” says Flo. “You can plant them in containers and place them strategically.” However, most bamboo varieties are too tall or bear their foliage too high to be effective privacy screens. Moreover, they are either not cold-hardy, are invasive, or both! Luckily, there is a heaven-sent: ‘Heavenly Bamboo’ and its cultivars. Heavenly Bamboo The evergreen shrub Nandina domestica with a bamboo-like habit, Heavenly Bamboo varieties have exciting foliage in shades of green, orange, and red. Moreover, they bear attractive small white flowers and glistening red berries. There’s also a less ornamental but equally effective alternative: Umbrella Bamboo RHS Award of Garden Merit recipient Umbrella Bamboo (Fargesia murielae) is a cold-hardy, clumping variety that is very bushy and fans out. Between 3-4m tall, it can spread to over one metre. This bamboo’s non-invasive nature must rate as a bonus. “Plants like bamboo are good for privacy if you need your plants to come around corners or wrap around a wall,” shares Garden Designer Kate Gould. The narrow leaves are a lovely light, bright tone of green. This species is tough and robust but it will delight you by rustling and swaying in the breeze. “An equally good alternative is Fargesia nitida, which is also a clump-forming rather than running type of bamboo, with some beautifully coloured cultivars,” Roy says. Any of these species can be used to plug a gap or to make a privacy screen. 6) Brick Wall With Integrated Planters, Pegs & Hooks Brick Wall + Hanging Basket + Cascading Flowers = Gorgeous Privacy Screen A neat and tidy brick boundary wall that is a mere 1.5m high, provided it is constructed right, will improve your garden privacy plus provide decorative options and afford much flexibility. You’ll need to build in projecting pegs or hooks, and planters, either integrated into the parapet or as attachments projecting from the top of the wall. Pegs/hooks and planters should alternate with one another and be spaced about 50cm apart. (You could opt for only pegs/hooks or planters, of course.) The pegs or hooks should have an upward curve. Hang large baskets with the shortest of chains on the pegs/hooks. Now in these baskets and the planters put such plants which are dense and whose forms are informally called ‘cascading’ or ‘spilling.’ You’ll want hardy evergreen flowering types, and there are a few great candidates: Philotheca ‘Cascade of Stars,’ various P. ‘WaxFlower’ varieties, Aubrieta ‘Silver Edge’, A. ‘Doctor Mules’, A. ‘Cascade’ varieties, and Aurinia saxatilis. They will make for the most florally ornamental of privacy screens. Tip: Instead of growing plants directly into the integrated planters, put removable planters in them. Then you can quickly and conveniently switch out and switch in plants. 7) Trellis Planters & Vines “Using a trellis with climbers on it is another one that can work for privacy, depending on how high and the level of screening you want,” says Flo. “Growing something beautiful and scented and colourful can also do the trick.” Two or three tactically-positioned large trellis planters covered with a dense climber will make you an ornamental screen that is hard to beat for prettiness and is also portable and adjustable. Trellis planters are available in a variety of materials, styles, and finishes. They are up to 1.5m high which will go up to 2m with the right climbing vine trained over it. Trellis planters are ideal for screening daybeds, trampolines, and the like: when the daybed or trampoline needs to be moved, its screening trellis planter can be moved with it! There are innumerable tender annual vines that are highly decorative; for example, varieties of Nasturtiums and Mandevilla which bear beautiful, fragrant flowers, and ornamental gourd vines. However, annual and deciduous vines will mean you lose your privacy protection after autumn. Evergreen climbing vines will guard your privacy even in winter – wouldn’t your family members like to work out or relax in the garden on a warm winter afternoon? Akebia quinata or Chocolate Vine, also available in varieties ‘Shirobana’ and ‘Cream Flowered’ are semi-evergreen climbers that will be evergreen in many regions of the UK. The foliage varies somewhat between these three varieties but it is very pretty in each. What’s supremely pretty are the strongly-scented unusual flowers and fruit that Akebias produce. And Combinations Galore Mix and Match Climber Rosa banksiae ‘Lutescens’ with any of the Other Evergreens Named Above The privacy-improving solutions spelt out above are amenable to supplementary and complementary combinations that will significantly improve your privacy, while at the same time adding to your garden’s charm and beauty – whilst also providing convenience. “”It’s a case of thinking about garden compartments in your space and you can screen with large shrubs, small trees, tripods with climbers on them, so you can compartmentalise those areas where you really feel like you’re overlooked,” says Ann-Marie. A couple of tall ferns could go in each of two front-side corners. A side boundary could be protected with simple wire fencing with a flowering climber. Evergreen trees on a northern boundary would also provide shelter from the North Wind. Moveable trellis planters would be very handy to fill in awkward gaps anywhere. Or you could simply enclose your garden by mixing and matching the many types and kinds of evergreens mentioned above. References 1. Russ, K. (2022, March 8). Leyland Cypress Alternatives. Home & Garden Information Center | Clemson University, South Carolina. Retrieved March 16, 2023, from https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/leyland-cypress-alternatives/ 2. Wild privet. (n.d.). The Wildlife Trusts. Retrieved March 16, 2023, from https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/trees-and-shrubs/wild-privet 3. Matteuccia struthiopteris | shuttlecock fern. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 16, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/10920/matteuccia-struthiopteris/details
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Garden Designers Recommend These Plants To Get Privacy In An Overlooked Garden
IN THIS GUIDE Trees For Privacy In An Overlooked Garden Trained Trees Evergreen Or Deciduous? Structures With Climbing Plants For Privacy Privacy Hedging Bamboo Screening Ornamental Grasses Perennial Plants Privacy can be one of the most important things in a city or town garden. It can be awful to feel overlooked – and being able to use your garden fully means it must feel like a safe haven – free from prying eyes. In truth, your neighbours are likely not as interested in what goes on in your garden as you might think, but creating a sense of privacy can be important to make sure you can fully enjoy spending time in your outside space. “I think by having complete privacy, it stops us from talking to our neighbours,” shares Danny Clarke, a Garden Designer and Director of the charity Grow2Know. “There might be parts of your garden where you want to have a bit of privacy, but there also might be parts where you can lower garden hedges so you can speak to neighbours. “I don’t believe we should cut ourselves off entirely from everyone around us. We should try and be more connected as I feel we’ve lost that in the last 30-40 years.” Many people who do desire complete privacy will turn to man-made solutions. They will often build pergolas or garden buildings that create private sanctuaries in a garden. But while these solutions can have their place, when it comes to achieving privacy in a garden, plant choices are key. The appropriate planting will almost always be the solution when it comes to tackling privacy woes. The first and most important thing to consider if you want to enhance a sense of privacy in your garden is sightlines. This is all about considering if people can see you at different spots in your garden, and, crucially, where they can see you from. Some people make the mistake of turning their garden into a fortress, completely surrounded by impenetrable planting. Plants in the right places “The archetypal fortress garden will be surrounded by tall conifers planted in straight lines,” shares Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly. “It certainly provides enclosure but at the expense of any semblance of attractive place-making. “It invariably also creates conditions that are hostile to growing other plants. “Consider employing a skilled gardener or a garden designer to offer advice or designs for your garden space or buy books or take a short course to develop your own knowledge.” But this can make a garden dark and unappealing – a few carefully placed plants can work far better than blanket border screens. “I think if you think first about where you want your garden to be private, then you’ll have a much lovely garden experience, rather than just blocking out all of the sun,” says Ann-Marie Powell, Garden Designer. “There are lots of plants that you can use, it’s all down to personal choice. You’ve got plants like Clematis armandii or, one of my favourite evergreens, Osmanthus aquifolium. There are also things that are scented or you could use bamboo – it depends on your garden.” Plants can offer a huge range of different solutions, whether you would like privacy from the side, or screening from windows that overlook your property from higher up. Trees For Privacy In An Overlooked Garden Smaller trees closer to seating areas can be more effective for blocking sightlines Of course, some of the most useful plants in a privacy improvement scheme are trees. Large, mature trees can block sightlines from above, and make a garden feel more tranquil and private. But whether or not a large mature tree is right for your garden will depend on the size of the space and where exactly the tree would need to be positioned to provide the requisite privacy. A tree to the north of the space, for example, may not be too much of a problem. But in certain circumstances, such as when a tree would have to be positioned to the south, it may create far too much shade – especially in a smaller garden. Unless you wish to embrace a woodland style garden, and shade planting, this might not be the best solution for you. However, even if you are of the opinion that using a tree or trees for privacy will create too much shade, there are some other options to consider. Trained Trees One thing to consider, for example, is a row of columnar fruit trees, or pleached fruit trees to sit above a fence. Trained trees can enhance privacy, and often without casting anywhere near as much shade as a standard form. Another thing to consider is that a small tree positioned close to a seating or outdoor dining area, placed in exactly the right place, can be more effective for blocking sightlines and improving privacy than a much larger tree placed further away. Evergreen Or Deciduous? When choosing trees for privacy, think about whether you require privacy during the summer months only (when you are actually more likely to be using your garden) or really do want to block sightlines throughout the whole year. Deciduous trees can work best for summer privacy, and evergreens will of course remain clad all year. Bear in mind, however, that evergreens can cast deeper shade, and so a mix of evergreens and deciduous trees can often be best for year-round cover. Structures With Climbing Plants For Privacy If your garden is overlooked from above, another thing to consider is creating structures that are not completely covered, but which can be covered with climbing plants that will add a degree of privacy without making you feel too hemmed in, or too separated from the rest of the garden. A porch, pergola or arbour structure can support a range of beautiful climbing plants, which will screen you from view of the windows of neighbouring properties. Again, you need to think about whether you really need year-round cover, or are happy to be shielded from view only when deciduous plants are in leaf. You can choose evergreen perennial climbers which will provide a permanent screening from above, such as Ivy or Parthenocissus, or opt for deciduous perennials like climbing roses, for example, which will be beautiful during the summer, but lose their leaves later in the year. The structure you create might cover a whole seating or dining area, or a simple hammock or bench seat. How large the structures are and where they are positioned will obviously determine which climbing plants you should choose. You might also consider growing annual climbers up a structure of this kind. These might even be edible crops, and help you make the most of every inch of your garden for food production. Edible climbers like runner beans, squashes etc. can also enhance privacy during the summer, while also giving you an edible yield. Privacy Hedging A Willow ‘Fedge’ If you are more overlooked from the side than from above, privacy hedging could be the perfect solution. Many different shrubs and small trees even can be perfect for inclusion in a hedge of this type. Our favoured approach is to create mixed privacy hedges, with a mixture of evergreen and deciduous plants, which are beneficial to wildlife (and to us) in a range of ways, as well as providing the privacy we crave. Remember, the hedge might not need to be positioned along the borders of your garden. Cypress trees Interesting privacy solutions can also involve, for example, placing a hedge along the front of a patio, to divide it from the rest of the garden and block sightlines to a part of the garden where you want to spend a lot of your time. Again, a shorter hedge closer to a seating area could block sightlines more effectively than a much higher hedge further away. Another idea, instead of a hedge, is a ‘fedge’ (Living fence) of willow or similar. This is a cross between a hedge and a fence, which can offer a beautiful way to create a partial screening between your own property and the neighbours, or a busy path or road. Bamboo Screening Bamboo is another plant that can be useful for adding privacy in a garden. There are a wide range of different bamboos to consider for screening in different environments and situations. Bamboo can grow quickly, and won’t necessarily feel as oppressive as a thick border hedge or treeline. Consider carefully which bamboo to choose – some can easily take over a garden before you know it! But the right bamboos in the right places can certainly help you block sightlines and enhance privacy in your garden. Ornamental Grasses Many other tall plants can also effectively block particular sightlines and create screening between gardens, or between garden zones. Taller ornamental grasses can be useful for adding height and structure and blocking your seating, dining or sunbathing area from view. But with their wispy forms, they will often not feel as heavy or oppressive as larger shrubs or trees. Ornamental grasses in privacy schemes pair well with taller prairie planting too. Perennial Plants A prairie or perennial border could be an alternative for a garden border that obscures views without entirely keeping the exterior out. It can be a softer and more delicate border for a garden, or used to edge a patio or area of decking. Using plants to get privacy, rather than relying on man-made fences or walls can stop your garden from feeling too enclosed, while still giving the sense of seclusion and peace you are looking for. In fact, it is worthwhile remembering that plants, unlike a simple wooden fence, for example, will block sound and even smells to a greater degree. So neighbours are not only less likely to see you, they will be a little less likely to hear or smell you too! One final thing to think about is that privacy is not just about sight. Plants help to create a soundscape in your garden, so your garden chats are less likely to be overheard. If you don’t want neighbours to hear you, you should also think about adding a water feature in your garden. With the sound of wind in the leaves, and the babbling sound of water, sound transmission should be less of a concern.
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