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What to plant here

wakeshinewakeshine Posts: 975

Hi there

I'm trying to sort out what was once a very beautiful garden.

...Please can anyone suggest what to plant here to cover the tree carnage and bare trunk. Sorry for the ugly photos. Basically this beautiful pine's lower foliage was all cut off about two years ago. It hasn't come back. I told the person (my dad!) who did it that evergreens should not be pruned in this drastic way. The one next to it was also cut down as you can see. Now it's just unsightly. He regrets it too, and wishes he hadn't done it. Previously there was a gorgeous green backdrop to the garden, and the mess behind couldn't be seen. I don't think the branches will grow back.

imageimage

The ground below is obviously very dry:

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Can we plant another pine? Or another wiegala (there is one on the other side)...or something else? If getting another pine, what variety and how far away does it need to be? Can anyone suggest any other big shrubs?

Any suggestions much appreciated...

Posts

  • Ladybird4Ladybird4 Posts: 37,884

    Hi. You are right, the branches won't grow back. These are not pine trees though they are a type of cupressus. As this poor tree is still growing the soil beneath will be very depleted in nutrients so planting anything there would be a risk. The only thing you could try would be to plant a pretty ivy to scramble up the trunks and conceal them.

    Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
  • WaysideWayside Posts: 845

    Quite a pretty tree before the limb up.  A couple of evergreens will shoot off the main trunk (Yew and Thuja), but generally that kind of hard pruning is a no no.

    Planting something substantial will be difficult due to competition.  I'd be more tempted to clear and start afresh.  If you like the evergreen backdrop Griselinia littoralis or Viburnum tinus could be a replacement.

    But perhaps a climber could save it.

    Last edited: 26 May 2016 20:34:29

  • wakeshinewakeshine Posts: 975

    No I don't like Ivy and neither does my mum. Are you sure I can't plant another pine or conifer there? Is that why the one beside it died, as it was too close? We are all very upset this happened. I cried when I came back and saw what had been done. I love trees. It was two years ago but I have never got over it!! I don't want to put a climber over it, I want to plant another conifer or pine. It's been done - I know it was wrong but we have to find a way forward.

    What do you mean 'A couple of evergreens will shoot off the main trunk (Yew and Thuja)'?

    I looked up the two species you mentioned - I dont like griselina, the viburnum isn't bad. I don't want a hedge though. Why cant i plant another conifer or pine  in front of it?

  • wakeshinewakeshine Posts: 975
    Ladybird4 says:

    Hi. You are right, the branches won't grow back. These are not pine trees though they are a type of cupressus. As this poor tree is still growing the soil beneath will be very depleted in nutrients so planting anything there would be a risk. The only thing you could try would be to plant a pretty ivy to scramble up the trunks and conceal them.

    See original post

     Thank you - do you know please the exact type of cupressus it is?

  • StevedaylillyStevedaylilly Posts: 1,102

    I agree that the soil will be depleted of nutrients etc. . I had the same problem with conifers that had been cut back to the trunk and have never grown back. I had a Pieris that i needed to move from its spot.so it went in front of the decimated conifer. it was planted approximately a metre away from the conifer and I had to improve the soil wirh compost and fertiliser and then again 3 months later to keep the shrub healthy. 

    2 years on the Pieris has not struggled at all and colours up and flowers beautifully. It has also done its job of covering the decimated cut back on the conifer 

    So put some goodness back in the soil and plant away  

  • Ladybird4Ladybird4 Posts: 37,884

    The tree looks like one of the Cupressus macrocarpa groups - possibly Goldcrest. Do as greenfingers steve suggests and put lots of compost and fertiliser in the soil and you could try another Goldcrest in front to hide the bare base.

    Wayside's comment was referring to two evergreens that WILL regrow branches  after hard pruning - yew and thuja. Most evergreens won't do this.

    Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
  • wakeshinewakeshine Posts: 975

    I dont think its goldcrest ladybird because that looks too small. This is a massive tree. ?? Any other suggestions of what subspecies it is?

  • wakeshinewakeshine Posts: 975
    greenfingers steve says:

    I agree that the soil will be depleted of nutrients etc. . I had the same problem with conifers that had been cut back to the trunk and have never grown back. I had a Pieris that i needed to move from its spot.so it went in front of the decimated conifer. it was planted approximately a metre away from the conifer and I had to improve the soil wirh compost and fertiliser and then again 3 months later to keep the shrub healthy. 

    2 years on the Pieris has not struggled at all and colours up and flowers beautifully. It has also done its job of covering the decimated cut back on the conifer 

    So put some goodness back in the soil and plant away  

    See original post

     Thank you Greenfinger. I think peiris might be too small? Will it grow to the height of where the branches started to get bare?

    Last edited: 26 May 2016 22:24:28

  • StevedaylillyStevedaylilly Posts: 1,102

    If not Pieris, then an other evergreen shrub may do the job of masking the decimated area.

    The Pieris I have is a japonica species and grows well over 6 feet tall and 4 feet wide and seems to enjoys being in a dappled shaded situation that the conifer makes

    Also pine needles from the conifers improves the acidity of the soil that Piers enjoy 

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