Morning Light: The Fetchland Gardening Wire

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Cyclops Apr 2021 7:52pm, 10 Apr 2021 4,296 posts	0 Cyclops Ooh thank you, Hanneke. That was exactly the information I needed. I am tempted to let it grow a bit here and see what it does but I'd better take it to school and let it do its stuff there - then pot up offsets later if I find any.
Fragile Do Not Bend Apr 2021 7:57pm, 10 Apr 2021 8,213 posts	0 Fragile Do Not Bend Oops sorry AR, I didn’t notice you’d already mentioned GW.
Hanneke Apr 2021 2:26pm, 11 Apr 2021 72,359 posts	0 Hanneke I am a veritable Monty Don actually, he doesnt do gardeners question time. I am more of a Bob Flowerdew, not as arrogant as Monty either
rf_fozzy Apr 2021 10:29pm, 13 Apr 2021 13,915 posts	0 rf_fozzy So after spending ages and a lot of effort getting the first few leylandii out, the next few have all come out really easily. ~10-15mins each for 3 of them and a bit longer for the fourth. The secret is not to chop them down too much, and then chop the main roots with axe/mattock, dig out round them to dislodge any compacted soil and then swing on them until the roots snap. Just one more big one and a little one that was already dead to remove this year now (I think) - need to start tidying up and planting stuff and getting the garden sorted.
rf_fozzy Apr 2021 10:31pm, 13 Apr 2021 13,916 posts	0 rf_fozzy Don't ask about the block paved washing line area. I've no idea. But yes, the edging is full sized paving flags vertically dug into the ground, and yes, they are up past the block paved area creating a lip that means nearly tripping up on it all the time.... It's all coming out shortly.
Hanneke Apr 2021 11:59pm, 13 Apr 2021 72,401 posts	0 Hanneke Hell of a job Fozzy!
rf_fozzy Apr 2021 1:03am, 14 Apr 2021 13,917 posts	0 rf_fozzy If anyone has any suggestions for evergreen bushes/small trees that I could purchase of about ~2.5m height without breaking the bank, let me know. I've got a fatsia japonica which is currently about 1.5m and a Photinia fraseri red robin tree about 2m tall to go in, but I need a couple more to go in when I take out the leylandii at the back of the garden, but I need them to screen above the fence. I am considering covering part of it with a trellis and growing some evergreen clematis up it.
Flatlander Apr 2021 7:57am, 14 Apr 2021 1,984 posts	0 Flatlander I have a Choisya ternata "Sundance" (Mexican orange blossom) rhs.org.uk which is evergreen, with the colour of the leaves ranging from green to bright yellow mailordertrees.co.uk depending on the season. When the leaves are bright yellow they brighten up the garden. Mine has grown to about 2m tall and 2m width, but it is easy to prune back to keep it the size one wants. It grows reasonably quickly so if you are patient a young plant would cost perhaps £10 -£30 or more depending on size. The larger the better if you want an instant effect.
alpenrose Apr 2021 8:46am, 14 Apr 2021 50,178 posts	0 alpenrose Good job fozzy, don't forget you need a good mowing edge to the lawn to make life much easier. Trees are probably best to research over the season and buy bare- rooted in the winter. Pittosporums are always good doers and can take a lot off hacking back, garrya elliptica.
sallykate Apr 2021 11:58am, 15 Apr 2021 7,768 posts	0 sallykate Garrya elliptica is lovely and provides a bit of interest when the garden is mainly dormant. As would some evergreen clematis. My armandii didn't like its position and didn't thrive (it was a bit cold and exposed) but I have a clematis cirrhosa Wisley Cream which scrambles happily over a pergola.