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Plant suggestions- clay/deer/heat zone 8
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Posted by creatrix z7 VA (My Page) on Fri, Jul 8, 05 at 18:08
| I'm trying to do a Japanese garden in central VA, near Richmond and I could use some help on evergreen plant selection. I need dwarf to medium shrubs. I'm trying to avoid junipers, since in other areas I want to use apples and amelanchier (although that may be moot, since there are Eastern Redcedar in the area). The soil is heavy clay, and not well draining at all.
I may do some berming, but not much, as the neighborhood is flatter than a pancake. The area will be 20-30' x 20-30', haven't quite decided on the space yet, and the yard is a blank slate except for some scraggly trees the contractor left.
So far, I've got Cephalotaxus on my list. Mugo pine performance is very spotty in this area. Any other suggestions? Deciduous and herbaceous suggestions are also welcome. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Plant suggestions- clay/deer/heat zone 8
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| Since the word "deer" is included in your title, here is a list of deer resistants plants for zone 8: http://www.sabot.org/gguide/deer.htm Here is a list of plants currently being tried for Japanese style landscaping in hot zone 8 of South Texas (not all are deer resistant): http://www.botanysaurus.com/jg/jgplants.html |
RE: Plant suggestions- clay/deer/heat zone 8
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| Thanks, I liked the Texas Japanese list. We're zone 7, but the summers are a bit hotter here than in much of the rest of zone 7, hence the Heat Zone 8. Many of the plants on teh Texas list are ok for us. Conifers are a problem. |
RE: Plant suggestions- clay/deer/heat zone 8
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| OK, how about these? Thujopsis dolabrata and Sciadopitys verticillata for smallish choices, and Cunnighamia lanceolata, Cedrus deodara, Larix kaempferi, Abies firma, and Metasequoia glyptostroboides for trees. I also would consider a pine of some type. One possibility is the native Pinus glabra. It grows fast and may be a bit iffy in the cold hardy department, but its a beauty and can be easily maintained. For a true Japanese effect I would also plant some sort of fruit tree. Ume (Prunus mume) would be a good choice or perhaps the Taiwan cherry (Prunus campanulata). Neither are truly long lived but they put on a hell of a show in early spring. Is this going to be a plant and go garden or is it going to be maintained closely? In my experience here in Japan, every garden gets a yearly pruning, and closely kept ones get it twice a year. PF |
RE: Plant suggestions- clay/deer/heat zone 8
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| I hope it will be maintained. I'm a designer, and the clients are very enthusiastic new gardeners. I'm not sure they realize the full extent of the maintenance required for the botanical gardens they want. The Japanese area is but one small part of an acre lot. I'm not going with raked gravel! |
PS- thanks for the suggestions
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| Thanks for the suggestions. I love Cunninghamia, and had forgotten about the Sciadopitys. Thujopsis I'll have to look up. |
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