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Garden Landscaping and Design Forum Event

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Shoot hosts a regular online 'garden landscaping and design' forum event with award-winning garden design and landscape professionals from the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) and Society of Garden Designers (SGD). Three times RHS Chelsea Flower Show Gold medal winner joined our last forum! See all the answers to previous forums below.

Total number of topics in this forum: 278


Hedging.

Comment from Lorna Hazeltine

I have a large grass and border area that runs at the side of my bungalow, this area looks directly on to the road. At the end of the bungalow this area is fenced off from my back garden by a wrought iron fence and arch. I would like to grow some type of hedging along the wrought iron fence to give me some privacy when I am in the back garden area. I do not want conifers. Would like something which would be dense

  • Views: 694
  • Replies: 4
  • Posted: Fri. 13th March 2009 21:34
  • Last reply: Tue. 24th March 2009 23:12

Evergreen cover for a north facing fence

Question from Georgie

Hi. My garden is only 3m wide. On one side I have a 2m wooden fence with a path next to it. This shady path is covered with pots of assorted shrubs, bulbs, perennials and annuals and the fence posts each have a hanging basket. It looks fine during the summer months as the fence is almost completely hidden. But come late autumn, it looks less impressive. I'd like something to provide a permanent evergreen back drop. I already have a varigated Ivy but what else could I grow? BTW I don't like Clemetis!

Georgie

  • Views: 2905
  • Replies: 7
  • Posted: Fri. 13th March 2009 20:51
  • Last reply: Tue. 24th March 2009 21:33

Gardening for wildlife

Question from Georgie

Hi. I'm looking for more ideas to make my small, narrow London garden more attractive to wildlife.

At the moment I have a log pile; small pond; an old windowbox with grass which is left long; flowers to attract butterflies and beneficial insects and larger plants like Lavender, Rosemary, Ivy and Buddliea.

I allow herbs to flower, mulch the border and have a bird feeding station. I use companion plants and sacrificial plants and I don't use any chemicals. I leave the perennials like Verbena Bonariensis intact until spring, use Sunflower stems/bamboo canes cut and tied in bundles under the Ivy for over-wintering ladybirds etc and leave seed heads and berries for the birds rather than cutting the plants back.

But last year I had very few butterflies, lacewings and ladybirds (apart from harlequins) and no hedgehogs. Any thoughts?

Georgie

  • Views: 767
  • Replies: 7
  • Posted: Fri. 13th March 2009 20:39
  • Last reply: Wed. 25th March 2009 21:22

Weeds popping up in block paving

Comment from Joanne 9919

Our driveway is block paved and it has unsightly weeds and moss popping up between the cracks.

I have heard about companies who can lay a protective layer on top of the bricks to stop weeks poking through.

Is this a good idea, and is there a certain product I should be looking for?

Jo.

  • Views: 858
  • Replies: 2
  • Posted: Fri. 13th March 2009 18:50
  • Last reply: Sat. 21st March 2009 11:01

Disguising a compost bin

Comment from Joanne 9919

At the top of my garden it comes to a point, so I thought it would be ideal to push the compost bin here.

Unfortunately, it can be seen by all, so I want to create some sort of screening in front of it to hide it.

I thought about putting a trellis in front of it and have climbers growing up the trellis, but this part of the garden is very shaded, and it's on the lawn.

Also, I still need access, so the 'screening' would have to be a little way in front of the compost bin to allow access from the side.

Any ideas please?

Jo.

  • Views: 4813
  • Replies: 9
  • Posted: Fri. 13th March 2009 18:31
  • Last reply: Sun. 29th March 2009 09:52

Ugly back wall

Question from Nicola

I would like to refinish this back wall. It is nice not to be overlooked, but I have two different finishes to deal with and I want one flush, clean, even surface. What do you recommend?

Also, in terms of creating interest on the wall I was wondering what I could do? I really liked the idea I saw at Chelsea this year. Arabella Lennox-Boyd used some strips of mirror with bamboo planted in front of it to create depth. I would like to keep some of the shrubs however, so I am not sure this is the right solution for this wall. Any other ideas to throw into the mix?

Thanks Nicola

  • Views: 948
  • Replies: 7
  • Posted: Fri. 13th March 2009 17:41
  • Last reply: Tue. 1st June 2010 18:57

almond

Question from dilewis

I have a three year old almond tree grown from a nut seed bought back from France the tree is approx three /four foot tall and as yet has had no flowers on it it had plenty of leaves in the spring/summer when can I expect it to start flowering and maybe fruit??

  • Views: 739
  • Replies: 2
  • Posted: Fri. 13th March 2009 16:54
  • Last reply: Mon. 23rd March 2009 12:41

Outdoor Fireplace

Question from Nicola

I am going to be re-doing my garden at some point, and I love the idea of having an outdoor fireplace built like in the picture here. What do I need to consider? Is it hard to build, maintain etc? Would it be expensive to build? I was thinking it could be rendered blocks or something.

Does anyone else have an outside fireplace?

Cheers Nicola

  • Views: 735
  • Replies: 2
  • Posted: Fri. 13th March 2009 10:18
  • Last reply: Sat. 21st March 2009 10:42


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