Does anyone know anything about gardening?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/166658944471?

On the garden vac thing. I've got a humongous flymo thing I got from a boot sale.

Found these fake dewalt ones. What do people thing for minor leaf blowing and drying my motorcycle?

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I agree, there are not too many :)

So non-native ones can be a good solution, some also support pollinators and birds.

But the Laurel seems to be useless here in Belfast, pollinators aren't too bothered and there are no seeds or berries either.

I am using Holly and then using Honeysuckle to fill out the gaps in the Guelderose/Hazel/Rowan, it will take a while though. But there is already a fence so I am not in a hurry.

I bought a sambucus nigra black lace for one of the borders, can't wait to see it grow.

Wildflower meadows are actually pretty hard to get going, and the grass will try to grow back into the area that you planted your tulips*

A low raised bed with cardboard or something to kill the grass, topped with compost and then your favorite flowers grown from seed into plug plants may have more success? BmBargains has nice cheap trays with lids and basic greenhouses.

*I am trying this year, but so far the docks/grass seeds are already sprouting so it's gonna be a fun one...

How long are you planning on living there? If it isn't years and years I'd go with the bamboo.

can't wait to see it grow

Won't take long in my experience!

Spent the weekend digging out 50% roots 50% broken bricks “topsoil”

Concrete crusher arrives Thursday, gonna pulverise all the rubble from our building work and the slabs that covered the garden before, cardboard then 200mm crushed brick and sand, throw California poppy seeds and a bunch of trendy bare root perennials and it’ll look just like Prospect Cottage x John Little x Peter Korn… right?

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I love it, but is it native and how does it get on with wildlife?

Years, hopefully. We've moved to a street that people move from into retirement homes or graveyards and so all being well we'd be here to see the hedge mature.

Our neighbours keep insisting we put a hedge along the front of our house (we are the frontage to a private/unadopted road) as they all have delusions of grandeur.

It's caused weeks of rows between my wife and I as everyone keeps mentioning laurel as it's "so easy and grows really quickly". I hate the stuff and don't want to be trimming it 4 times a year to stop it hitting 15ft so Ive flat out rejected it.

Previous owners tried Beech which died and rotted away and now people are suggesting fences. Any suggestions on how to shut this down other than violence.

We’ve got beech and I like it, but feels more like the question is do you want a hedge/fence? If not then frozen sausages spring to mind.

I want to get rid of the hedge in front of my house. I hate the way they look and have no pretensions that I need privacy from people walking past. If they want to look in and see me then they can do just that. I have curtains for hiding the shame of watching snooker in my pants at 3pm on a Tuesday, should I feel the need.

I'd much rather have some pretty plants and flowers growing there.

There is a house on a nearby street that has the most beautiful low pink Acer in their front hedge spot. Along with a rose and a camellia. That's what I want.

There are some key people I need to convince before this can happen.

tl;dr; do you want my hedge?

I wouldn't go hedge, you've got a perfectly decent fence which can be planted against. I'd go strategically placed tree or shrub and buy as big as you can afford (presuming you have side access!). We have a similar issue with the house behind and planted a silver birch (incoming hate from @Colin_the_Bald ) which even though deciduous, blocks enough of the sight line in winter to not feel overlooked. I'm a big fan of planting trees, it's turned our house into a place where I don't see us ever moving from because I couldn't bear to part with them. PLANT ALL THE TREES!

I also planted a 6ft pittosporum 'wrinkled blue' shrub which although evergreen is non-native but gives great texture and seems to be growing at a decent rate. Gets used as hedge in some countries but works great as a stand alone and should grow to 15-20ft.

ps. Add some hedgehog holes. x

Good luck! How's the back? ;)

Is there a height expectation?

Some Camellia and other shrubs grow pretty high. Perhaps there's a way to get some height and still have plants you like?

Back is fine actually, long handled shovel is class. Wrist and deltoid not so good.

Anywhere from "looks like private land" to "stop the double decker buses looking in"

Edit: those are the 3rd party requirements.

I just want a nice border in really low quality clay soil

Recognise that the stress comes from you and your wife's reaction to the situation, then learn to control that.

If people mention it, just say it's high maintainace and you think it's a bit naff. Add in that it reminds you of council estate boundaries for good measure.

Thank you.

We've got 3 Red Robins on the road side. We already had a low brick wall so wanted to add interest. Also personally I think that curb appeal is a factor for front gardens in a way that doesn't apply to back gardens. Plus maintenance.

Not going to pretend wildlife was a factor in choosing it - the main thing for me was low maintenance, evergreen, not laural/similar, interesting... Plus some practicalities, drain, soil, etc However, it does have flowers and berries.

This is a dwarf variety so will basically just nudge over the wall. There are other varieties which are grow larger to various degrees so maybe have a look at those - you could mix them in with more nature focused options that way you get some of the laural practicality without having laural.

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What is growing up and around the front door? I’m thinking of what to do on ours.

Star Jasmine. I screwed chicken wire sections with washers above the door to give it something to attach to it once it got tall. The suckers seem non-destructive which is good.

It's great.

However... two caviates/notes

1. Buy decent sized established plants - I bought 6 cheap little plants for £6 and they took forever to establish and grow... some still haven't really. Once the ones in good spots got going they've done well, but don't be cheap like me.
   
2. Feed - if you want flowers they need to be fed. I use VITAX Q4 Fertiliser
   
   

After many years of doing the wrong things, last year I finally got the flowers and the scent I was after

Hoping to get the same this year.

*Or according to my 2021 order 'Hardy Jasminum Officinale Perennial Climbing Shrub' reading fail. Ignore that.

The photo does look like star jasmine, but that's not what jasminum officinale (common jasmine) is. Star jasmine is trachleospermun jasminoides. Different plants from different families - albeit v similar in looks

You're right!

Looking at the wrong order.

The neighbours are rather cheeky to demand a hedge I have to say, so if you even want to do something agree with the missus on what suits YOU TWO and take it from there.

"stop the double decker buses looking in" LOL so a 4 meter hedge then? That's not even allowed here without permission (max 2 meters)

Clay is actually very good for roses and Camellia and many other shrubs. Our whole area has heavy clay, dig in a bit of compost and it's all good. Geraniums/elephant ears and many plants here grow happily under hedges, along with primroses.

It might be worth finding out though why the beech died, if it is very waterlogged it will limit the plant choice.

I am not sure though you can please the neighbours with such vague requirements..is there mediation with the council where you live? As you might create something beautiful and they may still be on your back...

Interesting, thanks!