Garden Plant Casualties ?

Kezsmum said:

huge Bay trees

Now that is a tragedy, they take so long to get huge (sorry about the shrubs too) at least mine were smallish in pots and there may be life in 'em yet, I'm waiting to see. Have you scraped a bit of bark off? If there's some green underneath there's hope.

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Hi Claire

I hope you don't mind me going off topic a bit but I'd like to thank Kezsmum for her advice.

I'll try that, K, thanks.

Here they are and a close up of the leaves. Any hope, do you think?

Cheers

Pipit

 

No probs Pipit, and if I might comment on your Q to Kezsmum.

I think these established trees should be OK although the leaves are frost damaged.  Bays will sprout from the base and so maybe with a good prune in spring + a feed then, all will not be lost.

Good luck and I would be interested to hear how they do. 

Claire

Not a single native species listed in everyone's posts (although if I missed any I apologise.)

Perhaps we should all try growing native plants in our gardens???

Not only surviving winters better - but much better food and habitat for our native wildlife and birds!

Good point, Anna, but I do like mediterranean shrubs and herbs.

Claire

Yes, a valid point Anna. However, the birds don't seem to differentiate, at least not my birds in my garden. They like and use them all.

I suppose being in the South has some advantages.

Despite never having seen a redpoll or a waxwing, my olive and bay trees haven't suffered because of the Winter.

In fact the olive tree has grown several new shoots already this year.

AnnaM

AnnaM said:

Perhaps we should all try growing native plants in our gardens???

Not only surviving winters better - but much better food and habitat for our native wildlife and birds!

Perhaps we are all used to buying the seasonal plants that are for sale in garden centres, or maybe some of them look better, or provide something more specific for our needs, than our native plants.

I wouldn't be without bay leaves, rosemary, or thyme, and someone bought me my olive tree as a present. :-)

Hi Claire,

We have only been here 3 years so my garden which was bare land, isn't mature as yet.We lost our red grasses which we had in pots for years without any hassel.2 young Hebes have gone and several second year evergreens.We also have a herb garden and think we have lost our Rosemary and the Thyme is looking yucky.This last 2 winters have been really bad but back home a 15 minute drive, and now my sons garden, all is well.

We are planning to get rid of the the large pots this year and have a rethink as back home was much more sheltered.The birds are fine though.I remember someone telling me our large Rhododendron back home was a waste of space regarding the birds Anna , and we had many other bushes like Dogwood, Buddleia,Forsythia, as well as a large Elder  but when i took them into my back garden and gently brushed against the bush so many Sparrows came shooting out my friend could'nt believe it.It was dense and another safe place to hide from the Hawk.

Hi Sheena

Moving to a new garden can be hard and take many years to establish.  Good luck.  Sounds like you had a lovely garden before - some of my favourites!  Rhodo's aren't my favourite - bit too overpowering for me.  But you are right - they do make excellent cover and a lot of insects like them so there should be lots of food too.  Leylandii is also a hated plant - but kept in check makes fantastic habitat for many species. My main bug-bear is with the non-natives is more the sexless special beauties that produce no food for the insects - I'd rather have a patch of nettles and thistles! :D

Hi Sheena,

I hope you have fun and success in planning your new garden.  I have been lucky in the couple of times of moving house in that they have had established gardens. The current garden did, and still does, need a bit of reorganisation and now replanting.

Anna, I do have several patches of nettles and thistles growing between the double stock proof fence around the garden. Although the seeds can be a nuisance in summer/autumn they certainly do provide a good habitat for butterflies and the goldies love the thistle seeds.

Yes, Leylandii is hated, but we did plant such a hedge where good screening was a priority and it has been a nesting home to blackbird, song thrush, dunnock, greenfinch and robin and provides good shelter during the winter for many species.

Claire