Re: update on garden/bottle brush

E >  (I've really given Kitty's snipURL a workout tonight:-))
Originally courtesy of Donna.

Kitty

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Marge Talt" <mtalt@hort.net>
To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2004 3:01 AM
Subject: Re: [CHAT] update on garden/bottle brush


> Well, Donna, that side then would get lots of sun....from that photo,
> doesn't look like there are any large trees shading things, either.
>
> Since you sit at that window as well, I think your best bet is to get
> a tall pole - bamboo would do or anything up to 12' or so that you
> could handle and see just how tall something on your lot line would
> have to be to block your view of that window from a sitting position
> and a standing position.  Then  you'll know what ultimate height
> plant you need to look for or how tall to make an obelisk or trellis
> or whatever you decide to use.   It would be easiest with a helper to
> adjust, say, a piece of cardboard or something along the pole from
> the outside while you were inside giving instructions.  As soon as
> the cardboard covered the window, you'd know what the height had to
> be to do the job.
>
> The closer the object that's doing the blocking is to the window, the
> shorter it can be and successfully block a view.  I concur with Kitty
> that it looks more like about 8' than 10 or 15 because the section of
> chain link doesn't have a post in it and posts are usually set about
> every 8'.  This is why I'm thinking narrow columnar for any plant you
> might put on the property line.
>
> Evergreens have the advantage of screening year around where
> deciduous material only gives you a real screen during the growing
> season.  Of course, really twiggy deciduous plants provide some
> visual screening in winter, but you can see through them.
>
> I don't know what kind of shows your neighbors provide, but if it's
> something you really don't want to see, evergreens would work best to
> block the view.  Evergreens also form the real backbone in any garden
> because they are always there - and they come into their full glory
> in winter when all else is bare branches and mounds of dead material.
>  Evergreens form great backdrops for perennials as well.  Think of
> the grand English gardens; they all have lots of hedges, if not grand
> old masonry walls, to provide their perennial borders with an anchor
> and a backdrop.
>
> As best I can find by searching, it seems like you're going to be
> limited to only a few genera in the needled evergreen shrub line in
> your climate, for a full sun situation relatively close to a light
> colored masonry wall.  Of these, here's a list with links to pix that
> show forms that are narrowly columnar to fit that relatively narrow
> area.  Many that would be hardy for you would get way too big for the
> space after a while.  See if anything pricks your interest.  (I've
> really given Kitty's snipURL a workout tonight:-))
>
> Thuja occidentalis - arborvitae
> 'Emerald' (also known as 'Smaragd' and 'Emerald Green')
> http://snipurl.com/44gy
> 'Nigra' - http://snipurl.com/44h1
> 'Pyramidalis' -  http://snipurl.com/44ir
> 'Wareana' -  http://snipurl.com/44h3
> 'Degroot's Spire' - http://snipurl.com/44iq
> 'Filiformis' - http://snipurl.com/44it
>   'Yellow Ribbon' - http://snipurl.com/44iw
>
> Juniperus chinensis `Spartan` - http://snipurl.com/44iy
> Juniperus scopulorum   'Medora'- http://snipurl.com/44j2
> 'Wichita Blue'  http://snipurl.com/44i8
> 'Gray Gleam' - http://snipurl.com/44j0
>  Juniperus virginiana 'Skyrocket' (J. scopulorum 'Skyrocket') -
> http://snipurl.com/44j7
>
> Chamaecyparis obtusa `Gracilis`  http://snipurl.com/44im
>
> On the deciduous end, Chris wrote a Plant of the Month article about
> Crataegus viridis 'Winter King'  (hawthorn) that makes it sound a
> most interesting plant if you wanted to use something more tree like
> - and I think hawthorns can be pruned to hedges as well.   I don't
> know if birds like the berrys, but it sure seems a 4-season plant.
> I've never grown one; can't actually say I've ever seen one; don't
> think they like my climate.
>
> http://www.hort.net/profile/ros/craviwk/
>
> Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
> mtalt@hort.net
> Editor:  Gardening in Shade
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> ----------
> > From: Donna  <justme@prairieinet.net>
> > > What direction is north here?
> >
> > The brick wall. This is the southern exposure to my home, as in my
> home
> > faces the east.
> >
> >
> > >
> > > I'm assuming that the wood fence is the property line?  If it
> > > continued straight to the street that would be property line?
> >
> > Pretty close, since my memory is not as great as it used to be, I
> think
> > the fence is about 12 inches off the property line technically. I
> > basically consider it to be that.
> >
> >
> > >
> > > If that's so, then something that got about 8' tall would
> probably
> > > block that bedroom window view from your window unless you looked
> up
> > > on purpose, since the property line is close and the average
> > > horizontal sight line for a standing person is about 5' or 5'6"
> from
> > > finish floor level, which I assume, is above the exterior grade
> there
> > > in your house.  I'd guess your window sill is maybe 30" off the
> > > floor?
> >
> > It is fine if you are standing by the window, problem is when
> sitting in
> > the chair by it. You somehow tilt your head up while looking and
> oops...
> > by keeping the shade half way down (I have very long windows 72")
> the
> > problem is non-existent. I am sure they are thinking it doesn't
> matter
> > since I do not have a second floor here, yet my roof would get in
> the
> > way of others. I tend to open every shade up during the day when I
> am
> > home, I love sun light.
> >
> >
> > >
> > > Something strongly columnar but not wide - like, say juniper 'Sky
> > > Rocket' or similar might do the trick for you.  There are several
> > > other genera of plants that have that sort of form.  I know Chris
> > > Lindsey could come up with a bunch suitable for your climate -
> he's a
> > > font of knowledge where woody plants are concerned.
> >
> > Well I hope he chimes in! I am not a big evergreen fan, but might
> have
> > to do something like this.
> >
> >
> > >
> > > Another option is a section of trellis.  Like maybe an arched
> trellis
> > > feature the width of the window going from property line to
> house, on
> > > which you'd grow vines - path to meter would be under it.  Or,
> you
> > > could put in a line of columns along the property line, connected
> at
> > > the top with a beam of some decorative sort and grow vines up
> them
> > > and across the beam to block the view...not a real fence, but a
> > > visual barrier if code permitted it in your area.  Or a tall
> obelisk
> > > of trelliswork upon which you grow vines....or two or three of
> them
> > > in a row.  Or about any evergreen hedging type plant that you can
> > > keep clipped so it doesn't get too wide - I mean that would grow
> in
> > > your area.
> >
> > Will have to look into that, anyone got a suggestion for zone 5? I
> like
> > the obelisk idea.
> >
> >
> > >
> > > Speaking of which, Teeny Kitty spends hours on the window sill of
> a
> > > window on which we have one of those stick-on feeders - you know
> the
> > > kind you can see into via 1 way glass backing but the birds can't
> see
> > > you watching them?  Sticks to glass via little plastic disks that
> > > create a vacuum to hold it on.  Creates a real kitty TV show in
> 3-D
> > > and she loves it.  Not sure how you'd fill it from your window,
> > > but.....ours is right at the deck, so it's easy to fill from
> outside,
> > > but I just mention it for those who need kitty TV.
> >
> > We are on ground level, so will have to look into it.
> >
> >
> > >
> > > I was thinking rambling rose on that section of chain link fence,
> > > since it seems to be in sun and would sure discourage kids from
> > > climbing the fence. See where you don't think one would grow
> there.
> > > Not sure why...what is your soil like?  Is it really alkaline?
> If
> > > so, that may be why.  Roses, in my experience, actually like or
> > > prefer heavy clay based soils to sandy soils, but most want soil
> on
> > > the acid side.  There may be some that do well in alkaline
> soil...I'm
> > > no rosarian so really don't know...not enough sun for too many
> > > roses:-(
> >
> > They all died before so.... but I have amended the soil on the
> other
> > side of the fence and it drains well. Of course this side of the
> fence
> > is a whole nother matter.... got lotsa work to do before I can
> plant
> > anything. Solid clay under that grass. Will have to check the ph...
> >
> >
> > >
> > > If that chain link fence is in full sun all day, likely the metal
> > > gets too hot for most vines to be able to survive on it, esp. as
> > > tender youngsters.
> >
> > Yep, that's my thought, but seems if I can get them started and we
> have
> > a cool spring/summer, they then shade it and take off. Have a few
> that
> > done well.
> >
> > >
> > > If a rambler rose won't grow there, you could consider getting
> your
> > > hands on some of that roll bamboo fencing I've seen and simply
> wire
> > > it to the chain link - would change the look dramatically and
> then,
> > > likely, a clinging type vine could get a foothold and grow up it
> - or
> > > if you wanted a twiner, you could simply run twine up, secured to
> the
> > > ground with ground staples, so it could twine.  By the time the
> > > bamboo rotted, the vine would be established and the top growth
> would
> > > shade the metal enough so that it wouldn't roast the vine parts
> > > touching it.
> > >
> > > A section of that ready-made cedar or even plastic wood trellis
> would
> > > also work, I should think...like one for each side of the chain
> link
> > > so it looked like trellis work fencing.  Drill some holes in the
> wood
> > > or plastic every 3' to put plastic coated wire through and wire
> to
> > > the chain link.  Slap a treated 1x4 on top at an angle to shed
> water
> > > and you've changed your fence image.
> >
> > Good ideas!
> >
> >
> > >
> > > If you did curve out a bed from the front corner of the house and
> > > plant it in shrubs, that would effectively screen the side yard
> from
> > > most of the street.  A combination of evergreen and deciduous
> > > material could give you both year around form (screening) and
> > > seasonal flowers and/or berries.  Berries would help attract
> birds.
> > > Actually any kind of shrubbery attracts birds as they appreciate
> the
> > > cover it gives them.  Evergreens provide roosting spots summer
> and
> > > winter.  I have these two (now huge) Chamaecyparis the birds
> > > love...at dusk every day, they become large twittering green
> mounds
> > > for all the birds on the inside of them settling down for the
> night.
> > >
> > > A curved continuation of your existing bed with a shrub or two on
> the
> > > street end of it would then conceal the rest of the fenced area
> from
> > > the street - or, ought to, if I'm reading what you have
> correctly.
> >
> > Yep, sounds like a plan! Thanks!
> >
> > >
> > > One way to see if this would be so is to get some good size
> stakes -
> > > like the mature height of what you think you might plant - and
> stick
> > > them into the ground where you think you might put the plant.
> You
> > > then have to use a bit of imagination for width of plant, but you
> can
> > > pretty well tell if the plants would create the kind of visual
> screen
> > > you have in mind before you do any buying or digging.  If you're
> > > spatially challenged, you can use big cardboard boxes cut up and
> > > tacked to the stakes to more visually indicate plant width.  This
> > > kind of dry run is really uniquely attractive and will cause
> > > passersby to scratch their heads if you leave it up for a few
> days
> > > while you think about it:-)
> >
> > Wouldn't my neighbors just love it :)
> >
> > Thanks!
> > Donna
> >
> >
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