Re: Septic System Demo Garden

Marge Talt wrote:
> 
> Delighted you've had a good perc.  Can see your desire for some taller
> plants and agree with the need in order to have an interesting border.  If
> you can get 24" of soil over the drain trenches and have a fair amount of
> space in between them, then a small tree might do fine and not invade the
> trenches too much.

Has anybody heard of a publication detailing the extent of the root
systems of various trees?  Geez, you'd think there is something out
there, as we are always so concerned about overall height.  
Understandably, Salix's (Willows) would be out.  But what about some of
the drought tolerant trees? Gee whiz....I just have my heart set on that
styrax japonica...sniff.


> But, what about some of the really tall ornamental grasses to give you some
> height.  I don't know about all of their root systems, but Miscanthus roots
> don't seem to go down all that far - just create a wide incredibly
> congested system.
We grow about 20 kinds, and I'm fondly eyeballing the Eulalia grass and
the Miscanthus 'Morning Light' with thoughts of 'background plants'.

 
> Seems I'm always reading about really tall perennials that *must* have sun
> to thrive.  Can't name a bunch right off as I can't grow them :-( not
> having the right conditions.  I know they die down in winter and aren't
> evergreen, but if you used a bunch of them and only a couple of tall woody
> plants, it might be better for your drainfields.  Just a thought.
Please, please wrest it from your heat befuddled head.
I'm growing a large batch of Eupatorium 'Atropurpureum' (Joe Pye Weed
'Atropurpureum') with the thought of putting in several groupings of it.
I have Hydrangea aspera that I'd like to put in, but I have to have a
tree to hide it under.....

> ----------
> > From: Diana L. Politika <diana@olympus.net>
> > Date: Sunday, August 09, 1998 11:41 AM
> 
> > I called the construction outfit yesterday.  he said there is 15-20
> > inches of soil over the TOP of the drainrock.  And I believe that the
> > design manual I have states that there can be up to 24" or so.  I was
> > going to have good (tho my soil is very good) soil with compost,
> > topsoil, peat and etc; etc; brought in to raise the level to the maximum
> > allowed.
> > >
> > Yes....but, there are 4 drain trenches, stretching from 35 to 65 feet in
> > length.  The island of untouched soil between the trenches might be able
> > to hold a small tree (Styrax japonica, or the styrax obassia that I am
> > holding which is about 8' tall and very well shaped.  Or perhaps the
> > Davidia that I am also holding for personal use.)
> 
> > It's just that I want a very dimensional garden, with height and weight,
> > and it's very hard to do if the entire thing is restricted to perennials
> > and their limitations of height, not to mention the restrictions
> > encountered in view of the entire thing being in full sun, sans trees.
> >
> > > When you had your perk test done, what was the result?  Grand perk, OK
> perk
> > > or just barely passed the test?
> > Grand Perk.  The installer said I could probably run a hotel off it.

-- 
The Greenhouse Nursery
81 S. Bagley Creek Road & Hwy 101
Port Angeles, WA  98362
(360) 417-2664
Zone 8

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