Calling all shrub experts

[ganesh]

What would you suggest? I am moving to a house with a small garden with a 6ft fence at the bottom. I'm not a very good gardener and I want to grow something up against the fence (not a hedge),doesn't grow much higher than the 6ft so low maintenance but grows quicky to hide the fence,evergreen preferably,but attractive,any ideas?

[ganesh]

Damn put in wrong section.Know how to change section without without writing it all out again?

[wolf63]

I only came to read your post coz I thought it was in code - it seemed to be in a weird section.

But it is just a mistake. Bah! Thought that it was something interesting or amusing.

[ganesh]

Sorry bout that.did you think shrub might be a new word for toddler or something?

[JMR27]

what about beech hedging - either green or purple leaved - grows quickly. Not evergreen as such but it retains the old leaves until the new growth comes through.

[ganesh]

I'll look it up but I don't really want a hedge,I'd rather have a few different shrubs,thanks

[londonlove]

I have started doing growing different shrubs along my fence, although the shrubs need to grow a little higher yet. They have got contrasting leaf colours - a bay, a philadelphus with light-coloured leaves, a forsythia which looks great in spring, a holly bush, and I have kept a space where I am going to break up the line with a tree, so it doesn't look too regimental. I can't decide between a mediterranean pillar tree or a cherry tree so the blossom would look good in spring.
The holly bush is not very easy to maintain, though, and the others do need an annual trim, but that's not too bad in my view.
In the front garden I have misguidedly grown ivy to hide the wall...it is a nightmare to control and I wish I hadn't planted it!

[JMR27]

hi ganesh, I misunderstood your question. If it's not an exposed garden, Ceanothus and Camellia are beautiful. More hardy plants are Hebes, Rhododendron, Lonicera Nitida "Baggesens Gold", Escallonia, Elaeagnus...

[ganesh]

thanks,i'll check them out