Phil Pascoe
Established Member
I suspect the fence and "hedge" are mine - it was farm land and these bungalows were built before the ones behind us.
what best to plant ...
- Thread starter Phil Pascoe
- Start date
Help Support UKworkshop.co.uk:
Put an add in the wanted section, there must be some UKW members within a sensable range who would give up some hours to help someone out.
Jacob and his missus could stop by with their tents and give you a hand, you could discuss sharpening.
Why in whoever's name would you advise an invasive species as a solution to a problem???????
Beware the solution becomong the next problem.
Phil Pascoe
Established Member
As I heard on TV last night - there's a solution to every problem ................ and vice versa .......... 
Jacob
What goes around comes around.
They are a good idea - in a small garden there are no invasive species which aren't controllable. They take over rapidly and cover bare ground, stabilising it and fertilising it as they die off. Cut them back and other stuff will grow better.
Nettles are brilliant in terms of reclaiming rough ground but there are plenty of other self setting "weeds" which are more attractive - around here it's valerian, sweet rocket, cornflowers, various ferns and many others. Then more cultivated varieties good for ground cover; michaelmas daisies, periwinkles, london pride, cranesbill and geranium varieties.
All in all a nice little project.
Jacob
What goes around comes around.
Carrying stuff through no prob with a few dust sheets etc. Lots of trades are used to it, it's normal.
Disregarding the native species that you mention which I don't consider invasive, I refer to the specific plant proposed by @Quercus.
As below:-
https://www.japaneseknotweedkillers.com/hottentot-fig
Jacob
What goes around comes around.
Never heard of it.
Have had Jap knotweed and Himalayan balsam but in a small garden they were no problem.
We had J Knotweed for 50 years or so in my parents garden, planted deliberately by the previous owner, but it was no prob - isolated in a bed in a lawn which was mowed around. It couldn't spread beyond. Eventually we mowed it out and incorporated the bed into the lawn but it took 2 years for the last springtime sprouts to finally disappear.
H Balsam easy to clear - it's an annual and the seedlings are very easy to pull out.
They attract attention because they spread quickly if they get the chance and it can appear to have been an "invasion" - especially if in a place not regularly visited.
Ground elder is a PITA because its little and can spread undetected hidden by bigger stuff, but if dealt with it's no prob.
As I said; in a small garden there are no invasive species which aren't controllable.
Strictly speaking all plants are invasive, given the right conditions and the opportunity!
Last edited:
stuart little
Established Member
The LAST resort - you'll ne'er get rid of it again! It's a PIA in my bean patch.
stuart little
Established Member
Bamboo.
If you keep chucking wildflower seeds on it and then letting them reseed, the varieties that like it will thrive. Is fairly cheap to by seed, can be sown by just scattering over surface so no planting per se, and good for wildlife etc.
Otherwise I’d second cotoneaster. Will form a carpet and root where it’s stems touch the ground so will help to stabilise it as it goes.
Otherwise I’d second cotoneaster. Will form a carpet and root where it’s stems touch the ground so will help to stabilise it as it goes.
stuart little
Established Member
How about 'Rose of Sharon?'
If you're south facing and the area is on a slope then I'd plant Mediterranean plants that like dry soil. Lavender doesn't need much water but loves sunlight. Good for the bees too.
Lavender needs the heat, we had loads when we lived near St Tropez ( neighbour had hectares of it, lavender products was his business ), up here ( similar climate to Phil but a bit warmer ) it has ( any varieties ) never really taken and spread.Does OK in pots, but is always spindly compared with the south.The mairie put Lavender in the flower beds, it didn't do nearly so well as the Rosemary. They also put Buddlia ( which is kind of funny because Buddlia "puts itself" ) and it is now all over the place, we've got one in the garden ,but it has to be trimmed back each year. Needs no watering, just grows and grows.It and cockroaches will one day rule the world.
Another one that attracts butterflies and would probably grow well there , ours grows very well, ( the sage* that smells of Pineapples ( no that was not the forum "substituting" ) vivid red flowers last for months from now ( ours is already flowering ) until October, flowers and leaves are edible, smells fantastic, butterflies, bees and all pollinators love it. Likes the sun, doesn't need as much heat as lavender to do well.
*Salvia Elegans
Another one that attracts butterflies and would probably grow well there , ours grows very well, ( the sage* that smells of Pineapples ( no that was not the forum "substituting"
) vivid red flowers last for months from now ( ours is already flowering ) until October, flowers and leaves are edible, smells fantastic, butterflies, bees and all pollinators love it. Likes the sun, doesn't need as much heat as lavender to do well.*Salvia Elegans
Last edited:
Phil Pascoe
Established Member
Lavender grows like a weed around here, it's an idea.
Jacob
What goes around comes around.
PS and there's Mombretia which you already have, or something that looks like it
Grows up here in darkest Derbyshire. Vigorous and spreads into a shapeless bush after a few years even when trimmed, so to keep trim need replacing with rooted cuttings, which are very easy to grow
Phil Pascoe
Established Member
Montbretia? Yup, that's one of the biggest local weeds.
Are you possibly thinking of French lavender rather than English Lavender? Because if your Rosemary was doing well in the same climate/location then in theory English Lavender would do just as well. Also you need to cut back Lavender each year after it flowers to stop it going spindly. A lot of people forget to do this and so they think it's dying off. You can't cut it back into old wood either, it has to be the new soft growth.
Similar threads
