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Leylandii

Hi

I plan to cut five of these beasts down which are about 8 feet tall.  I want to use the trunks to grow climbers up having removed all branches.

Anyone done this already?  I thought about putting a post along the top of them to make a sort of pergola - they are approximately 3 feet from the boundary.  Any thoughts please?

 

Posts

  • SwissSueSwissSue Posts: 1,447

    Why not? Once the climbers are climbing up them, you won't see the rats' tails!image

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,139

    I think I'd worry about the roots rotting and the trunks becoming unstable.  If they're covered in climbers (and with climbers on a cross-beam as well) they'd catch the wind. 

    I'd rather do a proper job and take the trunks and roots out, replenish the soil and put up a pergola.

    After all, leylandii are pretty shallow rooted and not too difficult to push/pull over if you leave enough trunk to give some leverage. 

    It's pretty difficult preparing the soil for planting climbers when the area is full of tree roots.

    image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Hi Miss Wilmott, I have had experience of what you intend to do and it was a waste of my time and money.  Also the structure was unpleasant in winter when the climbers had died back.  Everything Dove has written is completely true and excellent advice. 

  • Thanks for all the advice.  I think a rethink is on the cards!

  • Alan4711Alan4711 Posts: 1,657

    the best thing for them is a match we all know thatimage

  • IamweedyIamweedy Posts: 1,364

    Hmm. The leylandii planted by the neighbours in their gardens when our house was built, planted them so close to the back of our boundary fence less than a foot  that over the years the overlap had begun hanging four or five feet over our garden.

    Having now cut them back our side there is little greenery left. Which I knew would happen. ( We started replacing our very old fencing and needed to cut back the overhanging branches to move the fence panels and we rather got carried away.)

    The B trees had already suffered from ivy growing up which killed off the greenery.)

    Too late to do anthing much about it now.  I intend to grow climbers over the framework.  An existing clematis montana has already grown right up through the canopy.  I am just going to have to hope it works. image




    'You must have some bread with it me duck!'

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