hi everyone,
thank you Michael for this wonderful blog, it's been an amazing resource to find!
I'm just wanting to discuss possible choices for evergreen mounds of green foliage to offset flowering perennials....My husband and I are starting our "forever" garden in 140m2 of flat, east/north facting clay/loamy, lovely deep soil in the Adelaide plains.
We're planning on planting around 15 fruit trees (stone fruit, pomegranate, almond, citrus) and knee-height flowering perennials around (but not directly underneath) the fruit trees. Think salvias, bush roses, lavender, catmint, lambs ears, bearded irises, agastache! I've grown them all before and they seem to love our climate and soil.
I have been toying with the idea of using japanese box as the green mounding structural elements (not many, just a few mounds in choice areas).... but what other choices might we have?
What about gardenia? How long-lived is it? our soil is neutral/alkaline.... will it cope? the lemons seem happy so I'm going to guess so?
I hate the straggly look of rosemary after a few years, and dont fancy replanting in 7-10 years.
I'm scared to plant vibrunum again after a "chest height" hedge exceeded the height of the house in 15 years.
Has anyone tried Murraya Min a Min? does it really stay 1m tall? surely not.
What about those dwarf citrus eg "lots a lemons"... recon i could clip that into a green mound?
Any other ideas outside the box?
Evergreens for a perennial, fruiting garden
Discussion
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If you are looking for edible suggestions ,you could consider using Myrtus ugni as a low hedge and Laurus nobilis for a taller application .Teucrium fruiticans might work if you wanted to have some clipped balls.I’m personally not a fan of Gardenias ,in my experience they tend to yellow off regularly .
Westringia? or dare I say Hebe?
I’m in Perth, so sandy soil but I think similar climate, and for a similar application (evergreen structure amongst perennials/annuals/bulbs) I am trying Nandina Lemon Lime as recommended by my local garden centre.
I’ve also put in viburnum but know I’ll need to keep them in check. I agree with you on rosemary, I keep some in pots which are handy to fill any blank spots (or divert the dog around beds!) and just keep cuttings going so I can replace when they get straggly.
Hi Asha
I’ve used Lomandra Tanika in a similar garden in the Adelaide Hills. Also used dwarf may bush (spirea). Although it is deciduous, its dormant period is not long, and its as tough as nails. We’ve also made extensive use of Teucrium as recommended by Richard – also very tough. I’ve found Japanese box to be pretty tough once established though it yellows off in Winter. Might not be so much of a problem on the plains.
I love the look of Dietes as a hedging plant. They grow thick and lush within about 2/3 years, but if not contained by a border they will self spread. they create a soft edged look. I’ve also grown Murraya min a min and it puts off a lovely orange citrus smell at night.
A very useful evergreen shrub is Rhaphiolepsis (Indian hawthorn). Tough as ‘old boots’. Withstand drought, heat and frost. Landscaping varieties such as R. Oriental Pearl and Oriental Pink grow into lovely rounded shrubs without pruning and R. Springtime makes an elongated mound. There are also larger varieties as well. Well worth looking at. They are not real hawthorns so no thorns. Growing well in western NSW, which I believe has a similar climate toAdelaide.