OT-PLANTS:Suggestions for a difficult spot
- Subject: OT-PLANTS:Suggestions for a difficult spot
- From: J* R*
- Date: Fri, 1 Jun 2001 15:56:48 -0700
Okay, there are a lot of good gardeners out there. I need to find an answer
for planting a difficult spot (virgin topsoil mix). A fake rock wall
overhangs my pool equipment (including the heater). Recessed into the top
of the wall is a planter about 50" long, about 20" wide, and about 8-12
inches deep. It has sprinklers (which I can adjust) and a surface drain.
The rock will get hot in the sun, so anything prone to root-rot may be a
problem. In this part of California, we only rarely get winter freezes
(USDA 9b, Sunset 23). The planter is next to the spa, so I absolutely don't
want a lot of shedding leaves or large dropping flowers. A major bee-magnet
like rosemary might not be good either. We want an evergreen plant,
preferably with flowers (what may not be evergreen in other parts of the
country may work here).
So far, my best ideas are (1): star jasmine, and (2): a mix of lavendula
(Goodwin Creek lavender) and dusty miller. I also suggested a non-hybrid
nandina domestica (heavenly bamboo). Correa (California lilac) might work,
but it would prefer to go semi-dormant in the summer given the heat of the
location.
My wife doesn't like my ideas. She has suggested fruit trees and orchids.
Any ideas out there she might like? I'm not too fond of trumpet vines, and
gloriosa lilies spend too much time dormant unless I just add them to a mix
of evergreen plants.
Thank you for your suggestions,
John Reeds
jreeds@microsensors.com
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