Dear All
We are having huge difficulty (for over a year now) about deciding what wou=
ld be best for a specific area of our garden.(Dry Costa Blanca). On the si=
de of our driveway we have seven 1.5 -3x metre x 1-2 meter deep rectangle =
white concrete containers (with drainage) which are integral to driveway by=
making a wall which is stepped down with slope of the driveway. We need to=
screen this area and that is why we had these containers put in but I am h=
aving great difficulty about what we could grow successfully. We will have=
irrigation into each container.
People on this site have been very kind to give me lists of various possibl=
y suitable plants over 18 months ago when we were deciding to go with this =
idea. But I have not been able to come up with something that is evergreen,=
(but not too dense) can stand pot life, not too much water, full sun, salt=
winds, fairly quick growing, growth to about 3-4 meters, no berry staining=
. First we decided on Cupressa arizonica but my mind was changed because =
they go brown easily and the specimens I saw in the garden centre did not l=
ook happy. We then looked at Bamboo... ...Phylostachys nigra especially bu=
t decided against that lovely plant because of water needs and it could bec=
ome unhappy quickly and lose its leaves. We have now an idea of Photinia ( =
Red Robin) but have been told its not wonderful in pots! I am really at a l=
oss here and I am wondering if there a few robust plants which you might kn=
ow of which would fit the bill. I would also like to know your recommendat=
ions about the size of the plants which should be purchased.
I am looking forward to your replies.
Pamela
I wouldn't think this one is all that hard, as there
are many, many medit climate plants that are evergreen
and 3/4 meters size and moderate water use with drip
irrigation for screening purposes. Oleander, off the
bat would work well, Hakea suaveolens, Xylosma
congestum compacta, Dodonaea viscosa purpurea,
Osmanthus fragrans or O. heterophyllus, Agave
americana, Aloe arborescens,
Abelia, Bougainvilleas, Callistemon citrinus,
Chamaerops humilis, Choisya ternata, Eleagnus,
Escallonia, Euphorbia mellifera, Feijoa
sellowiana(although this one does have fruit, it
doesn't stain), Grevilleas, Grewia caffra,
Leptospermum scoparium, Melaleucas, Myrsine africana,
Myrtus communis, Phormiums, Rhaphiolepis, Tecomaria
capensis, Teucrium fruticans, just to name a few...
I'd suggest starting with 5 gallon sized plants as
being a good compromise with smaller planting size to
get established more easily, and sufficient size so
that they don't take too long to start screening. 15
gallon size would be more instant. If you went with
succulents such as the Aloe arborescens, you could
just stick large unrooted cuttings in the ground to
start.
If you still like the idea of bamboo, then
Phyllostachys aurea is the toughest, most drought
tolerant species to use for containers, and its water
use is in line with more drought tolerant shrubs while
still having reasonable appearance. Of course, if too
drought stressed, it is more golden foliaged than
green... Mexican Weeping Bamboo, Otatea acuminata v.
aztectorum is a much more beautiful bamboo for an
arching weeping screen, but can't really be considered
drought tolerant, as it looks much better with the
equivalent of lawn watering schedule for best
appearance.
--- Pamela Steele
Pamela -
I think you might consider Tecomaria capensis, the Cape Honeysuckle from So=
uth
Africa. This plant is is usually classed as a vine, and indeed it is easily
trained against a wall as an espalier, but left to its own, it tends to be =
an
upright shrub with a number of upward sweeping stems ending in brilliant
orange, melon, or dark red flowers. There is a yellow-orange form in my
garden that is also quite beautiful. (A striking yet curious clear yellow
form also exists in cultivation that tends to send out new stems in a
horizontal manner, so if it best used as a large groundcover.) The evergre=
en
foliage is very clean looking and shiny, always handsome. Locally, garden
maintenance people tend to trim this shrub (and virtually everything they c=
an
get their hands on!) into rounded blobs of foliage, which I think is
especially a crime in this case. Selective pruning of past flowered stems
will create an interesting, open shrub and renew the display which is
concentrated in the late summer & fall, but can often last well into winter=
.
Se=E1n A. O'Hara
sean(at)gimcw.org
www.hortulusaptus.com
(ask about mediterranean climate gardening forum)
> Dear All
> We are having huge difficulty (for over a year now) about deciding what
> would be best for a specific area of our garden.(Dry Costa Blanca). On t=
he
> side of our driveway we have seven 1.5 -3x metre x 1-2 meter deep rectan=
gle
> white concrete containers (with drainage) which are integral to driveway =
by
> making a wall which is stepped down with slope of the driveway. We need t=
o
> screen this area and that is why we had these containers put in but I am
> having great difficulty about what we could grow successfully. We will h=
ave
> irrigation into each container.
> People on this site have been very kind to give me lists of various possi=
bly
> suitable plants over 18 months ago when we were deciding to go with this
> idea. But I have not been able to come up with something that is
> evergreen,(but not too dense) can stand pot life, not too much water, fu=
ll
> sun, salt winds, fairly quick growing, growth to about 3-4 meters, no ber=
ry
> staining. First we decided on Cupressa arizonica but my mind was change=
d
> because they go brown easily and the specimens I saw in the garden centre
> did not look happy. We then looked at Bamboo... ...Phylostachys nigra
> especially but decided against that lovely plant because of water needs a=
nd
> it could become unhappy quickly and lose its leaves. We have now an idea =
of
> Photinia ( Red Robin) but have been told its not wonderful in pots! I am
> really at a loss here and I am wondering if there a few robust plants whi=
ch
> you might know of which would fit the bill. I would also like to know yo=
ur
Thank you everyone for your help ...its still a dilemma because I was very =
keen on the contribution by David Feix of the callistemon citrinus of which=
my garden centre had some excellent strong specimens of the variety Callis=
temon vinimalis 'Kings Park'. But I was told it would not do well in conta=
iners as it is a slow grower, needed huge amounts of water and becomes ver=
y leggy!!! Is this true?? She said that Photinia would probably be best for=
my situation. I don't trust garden centres here in Spain as they don't alw=
ays give honest advice. The Hakea looks wonderful but its not available he=
re .
Pamela
Hi Pam
Your garden center's advice seems a bit odd to me. Callistemon are general=
ly very drought tolerant, slow growing plants are excellent choices for con=
tainers (otherwise they outgrow the container too quickly), and leggy?
Sunset western gardens (the "bible" in California and the west) says that C=
. viminalis is fast growing, to a small tree or large shrub with pendulous =
branches. 'King's Park' is not one of the varieties it mentions but if I =
were you, I'd go ahead and try it. worst thing that happens, you end up pl=
anting it in the garden instead.
I'd skip the photinia. To me, it is pretty pedestrian. I'd go with the Ca=
llistemon instead.
Thank you everyone for your help ...its still a dilemma because I was very =
keen on the contribution by David Feix of the callistemon citrinus of which=
my garden centre had some excellent strong specimens of the variety Callis=
temon vinimalis 'Kings Park'. But I was told it would not do well in conta=
iners as it is a slow grower, needed huge amounts of water and becomes ver=
y leggy!!! Is this true?? She said that Photinia would probably be best for=
my situation. I don't trust garden centres here in Spain as they don't alw=
ays give honest advice. The Hakea looks wonderful but its not available he=
re .
Pamela
Tony & Moira Ryan, Wainuiomata, New Zealand
Climate ( US Zone 9). Annual averages:-
Minimum -2=B0C; Maximum 28=B0C Rainfall 2000mm
Hi Pam
Your garden center's advice seems a bit odd to me. Callistemon are general=
ly very drought tolerant, slow growing plants are excellent choices for con=
tainers (otherwise they outgrow the container too quickly), and leggy?
Sunset western gardens (the "bible" in California and the west) says that C=
. viminalis is fast growing, to a small tree or large shrub with pendulous =
branches. 'King's Park' is not one of the varieties it mentions but if I =
were you, I'd go ahead and try it. worst thing that happens, you end up pl=
anting it in the garden instead.
I'd skip the photinia. To me, it is pretty pedestrian. I'd go with the Ca=
llistemon instead.
Nan I certainly go along with all you have said (especially your evaluation=
of photinia!) I don't know "King's Park" either, but the varieties I do kn=
ow are all attractive trees or shrubs and mostly compact of growth.. the Au=
stralian Wild Flower Catalogue says C.viminalis will grow in any soil exce=
pt the very wet and the very dry, so moderate watering should see it right.
Moira
Pamela,
Following David's excellent list, I would go with Oleander. It is a native =
of Southeastern Spain, there is a great variety of cultivars, is a very rel=
iable grower in your area and it is sold at most nurseries/garden centers. =
Choose the cultivar carefully depending on the space available, since olean=
ders can be low mounds of foliage or huge shurbs.
It does seem strange that at the garden center they told you that Callistem=
on needs lots of water, but it is true that it might get a bit leggy with t=
ime: at least here in the Madrid area, older specimens tend to have a lot o=
f wood and not too many leaves. It might behave differently in your area th=
ough.
Fran
Madrid, Spain
Thank you everyone for your help ...its still a dilemma because I was very =
keen on the contribution by David Feix of the callistemon citrinus of which=
my garden centre had some excellent strong specimens of the variety Callis=
temon vinimalis 'Kings Park'. But I was told it would not do well in conta=
iners as it is a slow grower, needed huge amounts of water and becomes ver=
y leggy!!! Is this true?? She said that Photinia would probably be best for=
my situation. I don't trust garden centres here in Spain as they don't alw=
ays give honest advice. The Hakea looks wonderful but its not available he=
re .
Pamela
Callistemon viminalis is actually a much more graceful
foliage plant with a weeping habit, and gorgeous
flowers that is much used here in San Francisco as a
small weeping street tree. It is certainly considered
drought tolerant here locally once established, and
will thrive under our much cooler mediterranean
summers with no additional water once established. In
your heat, I would think regular garden watering would
be more than adequate, and it wouldn't need any more
irrigation than a Photinia would. C. viminalis will
get more than 4 meters tall with age, so it will
probably need some regular tip pinching/shaping to
keep it tight and bushy.
I think the main reason that California gardeneners
are so dismissive of Photinia fraseri is that it is so
overplanted here, and tends to be the fast growing
plant of choice for people who want cheap and quick.
In the right place it can still look good, but I
haven't planted any in gardens since the early 1970's.
The new red foliage is really no more distasteful or
gaudy than a Pieris forrestii, but the sheer volume of
its plantings as made it seem mundane.
You might also consider some Leucospermum or
Leucadendron cultivars or species as candidates if
they do well in your area. These are special shrubs
that are too little used in mediterranean climates,
and are so attractive at a time of year when little
else is as showy, except for our California native
shrubs such as Fremontodendron or Ceanothus.
--- Pamela Steele
Hi Pamela and all,
Greetings from the Algarve, Portugal, 23'C cloudy with distant thunder.
I have a Callistemon citrinus and my next door neighbour has Callistemon vi=
minalis. I would swap if I could. His viminalis is neater plant, has a much=
better leaf coverage, is less leggy, flowers more profusely and for a grea=
ter part of the year. They grow within 5m of each other in the same soil an=
d situation and receive a little irrigation and occasional light fertilizer=
. So I think the difference is due the species not to the environment. Any =
advantage to my citrinus...? .... well the flowers are larger, but thats ab=
out it.
Thats my twopenneth
best wishes
BrianO
Thank you everyone for your help ...its still a dilemma because I was very =
keen on the contribution by David Feix of the callistemon citrinus of which=
my garden centre had some excellent strong specimens of the variety Callis=
temon vinimalis 'Kings Park'. But I was told it would not do well in conta=
iners as it is a slow grower, needed huge amounts of water and becomes ver=
y leggy!!! Is this true?? She said that Photinia would probably be best for=
my situation. I don't trust garden centres here in Spain as they don't alw=
ays give honest advice. The Hakea looks wonderful but its not available he=
re .
Pamela
Thank you everybody for your messages its been really helpful and today we =
have purchased 16 Calistemon viminalis Kings Park which we are really pleas=
ed with. They look strong and healthy, are about 5 ft high and which we wil=
l be planting in the integral containers on the side of our drive way.
They are much more suited as a plant (than the Photinia) to our craggy but =
quite green landscape (with very 13 tall Pinus halepensis dominating parts =
of the property). I am especially grateful to David Feix once again for su=
ch excellent advice. I didn't choose the Oleander has we have a very long s=
tretch of those on one end of the garden. Thank you all for your interest=
and help, once again.
By the way, I did ask a month ago why my Russelia equistiformis was looking=
sad and David Feix suggested light tipping. I pruned about 6 inches from e=
ach branch and about two weeks ago it was a mass of flowers, excellent advi=
ce ...tip pruning.
Pamela
(Costa Blanca, Spain, 27'C hot and sunny!)
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-medit-plants@ucdavis.edu [mailto:owner-medit-plants@ucdavis.edu=
]On Behalf Of Brian Ottway
Sent: 10 September 2007 16:01
To: medit-plants@ucdavis.edu; pamela.steele@re-taste.com
Subject: Re: successful planting in containers
Hi Pamela and all,
Greetings from the Algarve, Portugal, 23'C cloudy with distant thunder.
I have a Callistemon citrinus and my next door neighbour has Callistemon vi=
minalis. I would swap if I could. His viminalis is neater plant, has a much=
better leaf coverage, is less leggy, flowers more profusely and for a grea=
ter part of the year. They grow within 5m of each other in the same soil an=
d situation and receive a little irrigation and occasional light fertilizer=
. So I think the difference is due the species not to the environment. Any =
advantage to my citrinus...? .... well the flowers are larger, but thats ab=
out it.
Thats my twopenneth
best wishes
BrianO
Thank you everyone for your help ...its still a dilemma because I was very =
keen on the contribution by David Feix of the callistemon citrinus of which=
my garden centre had some excellent strong specimens of the variety Callis=
temon vinimalis 'Kings Park'. But I was told it would not do well in conta=
iners as it is a slow grower, needed huge amounts of water and becomes ver=
y leggy!!! Is this true?? She said that Photinia would probably be best for=
my situation. I don't trust garden centres here in Spain as they don't alw=
ays give honest advice. The Hakea looks wonderful but its not available he=
re .
Pamela
