Chaparral garden

11 years ago

I planted this eight foot cupressus chaparral in November and the time has come for me to start planning out the garden to go along with it. As you can see from the pictures, it lines a driveway so it is going to end up being looooong and fairly narrow, maximum of maybe fifteen or twenty feet. It is in full blasting sun, all day long and when spring comes around, chaparral bursts out in a minty seafoam green spray. I want colors and textures to contrast so that it looks as awesome as some of your gardens. I also have a sciadopitys picola to go somewhere and so I thought maybe that dark green foliage would contrast well. I was also thinking about a dwarf weeping purple beech, some nandinas for reds and then mostly other conifers with a few JM's. Help me with ideas please!

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Comments (6)

keefesn1
Original Author
11 years ago
another view
keefesn1
Original Author
11 years ago
and last.. and by the way, that stake and rope will not be there. With the wind that comes ripping through here, I had to just throw that on one day. When spring comes, he will be properly staked just to give him some stability for about six months..
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
As you can see from the pictures, it lines a driveway

==>> oh keef... that cracks me up ... one plant lining a driveway ... lol .. hope springs eternal ...

now ... can you find your mortage map ???? or do a line drawing of the lot .... is the mowed grass all yours ??? .. to give us a better idea of the scape ....

i hope you know all about deep PROPER watering .... and therein lies your biggest challenge as you move down.. away from the house ...

i would suggest.. you go with much SMALLER stock.. they adapt better.. and get growing faster rather than large stuff ... and frankly.. no matter whose garden you have been perusing.. we all start small ... losses are easier to take.. lol ...

i would also suggest.. you keep in mind potential size.. and not plant anything that has great potential... too close to the drive ...

also.. give us a better idea where you are ... z6/7 doesnt tell us much...

did you amend the planting hole... ??? what is your native soil ...

other than 'lining the drive' ... what are your goals????

welcome to GW ...

ken

ps: is chaparral garden supposed to mean something to me???? if so, i have never heard of the term ....
pineresin
11 years ago
"ps: is chaparral garden supposed to mean something to me???? if so, i have never heard of the term"

Here, it's a cultivar name - in full, Cupressus glabra 'Chaparral'
keefesn1
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks for the follow up ken, all of the mowed grass that you see is mine. I have about two acres. I say driveway lined because I want the garden to line the driveway. As far as zone goes, I say 7 because apparently we have been reclassified, but I want to see for sure before I say it confidently. I live about half an hour south of harrisburg pennsylvania. And stock size isn't a problem for me, I can do small, the only local place that had this cultivar available though only had it in large size.
scotjute Z8
11 years ago
I would stake the tree now to prevent any wind from causing the rootball to rock.

Some dark to medium green conifers along with a blue one or two would create some nice color variations, all hovering around the blue green color spectrum .
Cupressus glabra Blue Ice or possibly Carolina Sapphire
should be available and would add some blue color interest if Cupressus can grow in your area.