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kentstar_gw

What would you plant here?

kentstar
14 years ago

I need something to cover this half-dead shrub. I wish I could remove it, but the park manager won't let us pull it out. There was a stump that he just pulled out next to it. Whomever lived here before us, almost killed this shrub by cutting it down too much (NO, it wasn't us! :) ) I want something that can cover the bare branches, either by climbing or covering up or something. It looks horrible the way it is!

What would you do with this spot?

Here's a pic of the situation:

{{gwi:616255}}

I was thinking of letting a vine grow up and through this one particular shrub, and maybe planting some more hosta around it, perhaps a blue Mamouth or T-rex hosta!

Any ideas? I'm stumped about what to do! No pun intended :)

Comments (17)

  • kentstar
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Here's another shot:

    {{gwi:616256}}

  • buyorsell888
    14 years ago

    oh boy, that is hideous. I can't believe they won't let you remove it.

    I sure hate to see conifers looking like that. Unfortunately, my neighbors did the same thing and that is what I see on my side of their arborvitae hedge. They have the nice green side. I've been debating on what to plant to cover my side.

    Clematis need so much pruning to look their best that they won't really cover anything for several years. I've been torn. Interested in what responses you get.

  • kentstar
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I was thinking about sweet autumn clematis, but I've heard its too aggressive and would seed all over the place. But, it is supposed to be fast enough of a grower.

  • ingridkl
    14 years ago

    I have a Comtesse de Bauchaud up into a rhodo. It looks a lot like your shrub in the winter, but in summer it hides the naked branches well. It will take a few years to cover completely, but in time it will. And I think that any group III's will do.

  • janetpetiole
    14 years ago

    Paul Fargas 'Summer Snow' gets very big and could cover that shrub.

    http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=361

  • Lilyfinch z9a Murrieta Ca
    14 years ago

    Maybe this is wrong, but id get that roundup stuff thatll kill anything, and let it die like you have no idea what happened! Then plant nextyear a new row of fresh shrubs?

  • flowerfan2
    14 years ago

    The cedar bush will in time send out new branches and cover up that dead bare spot. It will take a couple of years. You may want to just plant some tall annuals in front of it or an ornamental grass. You could grow an integrifolia clematis through it. It will take 2-3 years for it to amount to anything, and then it is deciduous so it won't cover up anything in the winter.

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    14 years ago

    The thuja will NOT regrow. With very few exceptions, conifers do nor regenerate growth from exposed bare wood. If it cannot be removed (and I'd have to question the logic of that decision!), I'd consider planting something narrow with a more permanent presence in between it and the ramp. Looks like a tough place to try and maintain/mow a lawn anyway.

    I doubt any clematis vine is going to provide very satisfactory results, nor will most other vining options at your disposal. You do have limitations given your colder zone, but there are very columnar forms of euonymus, boxwood, Japanese holly or even smaller and very narrow selections of arborvitae that could work.

  • kentstar
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Your right it will NOT regrow! We've lived here at this lot for 3 years, and in all that time it has not regrown one iota. I have bought a SAC to plant there. Also, I have a floribunda rose coming in spring I plan to plant near there too, possibly. The rose is "Easy Does It". I think SAC is eventually vigorous enough to cover that portion of the shrub, (and probably anything else in it's path)! I'll just have to keep it somewhat in bounds by not letting it grow towards the ramp. The rest of it can grow as long and full as it wants, where it'll be located.

  • hibiscusjoe
    14 years ago

    I'm sooo dumb. I'd love to post my clematis garden pics. please explain how you posted yours.

  • kentstar
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I have a free account at Photobucket. I upload a photo there from my computer. If you go to photobucket or the like, you will see you can start an "album". Once you sign up for a photobucket account (it's free), start an album, you click on "choose files" under "upload images and video". You can upload them from your computer, phone, email, etc. When the upload is complete, mouse over the photo you want to share and a window shows beneath it. On the little window click once on "html code" which will highlight the code, then right click and copy the code. Now, get out of the site and go to your post where it says "optional link url" in preview your post. Paste the copied code you got off of photobucket into the optional link url box, name the link whatever you want and click preview message, then if all is as you want, click submit message.
    There is a "test forum" here, where you can test out your photo posting.
    Hope I've spelled it out simply, lol, I'm not the best at explaining stuff. Good Luck!
    kentstar

  • kentstar
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Correction! Don't paste the code into the "optional url link" box, paste it into your message box. Sorry, must have not gotten enough of a nap! lol

  • buyorsell888
    14 years ago

    Weird, I swear I responded again to this thread but my post is gone.

    My neighbors hacked their arborvitae several years ago and none of the bare wood has grown. This is what I look at when I work at my potting bench..

    {{gwi:616257}}

    DH has used the chainsaw and cut off any that were totally brown and hadn't grown in three years just this past spring but it still looks very bad on my side.

  • flowergirl70ks
    14 years ago

    Good grief!! If I had the neighbors you guys have I'd do something. A little 24d or roundup should solve the problem. My neighbor has an elm tree seedling right next to his garage wall. It is slowly dying, guess why? The last thing we need is another elm tree in this neighborhood.

  • buyorsell888
    14 years ago

    I don't want the entire hedge dead because then I would have no privacy at all in my back yard. I don't want to putter in the greenhouse or at the potting bench staring into their yard.

    DH will probably build a 6' cedar fence there eventually. He has around the rest of the backyard.

    IF I was the OP though, I'd get out the Round Up this winter and blame it on root rot next spring....

  • unprofessional
    14 years ago

    When I see chain link, I just see more places for clematis. :)

  • kentstar
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    This is a better pic of the situation too. I have bought a Sweet Autumn for the bare spot. With any luck? it will cover almost the entire line of shrubs. I'll just tell the park manager, "I didn't know it would get that big!" lolol. The pole in the pic and the small stump are now gone, pulled out.

    I already have clems planted along the trellis on the other side of the hedge, kind of like an extension of the hedges.

    {{gwi:264881}}

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