A Hedge By The Sea
- To: p*@librs6k.vatlib.it, m*@ucdavis.edu
- Subject: A Hedge By The Sea
- From: P* H* <p*@nevco.k12.ca.us>
- Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1999 20:22:57 -0800
I'm puzzled why no one has mentioned lavender as a possibility. Not
green enough? Not salt tolerant? Too conventional?
I'm partial to Lavendula stoechas (Spanish lavender) and the L.
augustifolia (English lavendar) cultivar "Silver Frost," whose dark
purple flowers contrast beautifully with the whitish-gray foliage. There
are greener varities of L. augustifolia.
Another suggestion: Phlomis fruticosa. Nice evergreen (gray-green) shrub
native to the Mediterranean. Has bright yellow flowers (whorls) in April
and May. It's drought tolerant, pest-free and grows well in a variety of
soil types. (It's also deer-resistent, but that's probably not a problem
in Italy.) I like the smaller-leafed varieties, particularily the
cultivar "compacta," which may grow too low for the hedge height
requirements. Other varieties grow 3-5 feet tall.
It's not a Medit native, but a row of Kniphofia (red hot poker) might
make a beautiful evergreen hedge. It would meet all design
requirements, I think.
It's fun to give the list a design challenge, eh? ; - )
Paul Harrar
Nevada City, CA
Sunset Zone 7
2,700 feet
