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dense shrub to disguise shed required

• Message 1. 

  Posted by michelle78 (U7007319) on Tuesday, 14th September 2010

  Hello all,
  
  I need to get a shrub which will grow quickly and screen my neighbour's rather ugly shed from my otherwise idyllic view. Fortunately its only a small shed (4X2), but 2m tall, and I am only likely to be sitting admiring the view in good weather, so it doesn't need to be evergreen, but be dense and interesting at some point between may and september. Oh, and nothing purple or black leaved - it needs to fit in with the rolling northamptonshire landscape.
  
  Any ideas???
  
  Mich

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Calendula (U2331338) on Tuesday, 14th September 2010

  How about berberis? Some have purple leaves but not all. It IS evergreen but also has sprays of yellow/orange flowers in late spring which the bees love.
  
  You need to prune it regularly (annually, after flowering is finished) to keep it dense but it grows very quickly. The only slight drawback are the extremely prickly leaves.

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  Posted by nanpickle (U14258493) on Tuesday, 14th September 2010

  Hi Michelle - how about a solanum ? Loads of blue or white flowers throughout the Summer and still retains most of its leaves in Winter. Nan x

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• Message 4

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  Posted by michelle78 (U7007319) on Tuesday, 14th September 2010

  Thanks Calendula.
  
  I have been put off berberis as in my last place it was infested with nasty berberis sawfly. Completely defoliated it from July onwards, every year. We have one in this garden which the birds love hiding in so it does do the job as far as density is concerned and I'm not worried about prickles. But the sawfly attacking here too is a concern.
  
  so other suggestions welcome! Oh, and I didn't say before, because of the lovely view, the site is rather exposed, so I don't think a californian lilac or anyting that doesn't take a wind battering will do well. My letterbox clanging away today reminded me about that!
  
  Mich

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  Posted by Obelixx (U2157162) on Tuesday, 14th September 2010

  I would be inclined to erect a panel of trellis on two stout posts buried in a concrete filled hole. You could stain it green before planting anything so ithides the shed all yea but disappears into the view.
  
  Then I would plant an attractive perfumed climbing rose which isn't too vigorous or maybe one of the clematis that gets to 2 to 3 metres in height or maybe one of each so you have extended interest.

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• Message 6

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  Posted by michelle78 (U7007319) on Tuesday, 14th September 2010

  Hi Obs,
  
  ordinarily that's exactly what I would do (and what I am doing to obscure the view of the back of my garage from the same spot; rosa "awakening", clematis "Prince charles" and either "romantika" or "Niobe", can't decide... maybe both), but its just outside the "garden" and just in the "paddock" so can't have anything overtly garden-y or the land use police will come round and spoil everything.
  
  which is why it has to be shrubby
  
  I know shrubs are dull but there must be a dense, fast-growing, interesting one that does something between may and september?

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  Posted by jo4eyes (U13654107) on Tuesday, 14th September 2010

  How about an Escallonia Michelle? Some are more vigorous than others, they are evergreen & flower well all summer. Easy to keep as a 'hedge' if required. They were thought to be a bit on the tender side, but all of mine came through last winter fine & am in Manchester, in an exposed site.
  
  The taller hardy fuschias also came to mind. You said not nec evergreen needed. J.

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• Message 8

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  Posted by Obelixx (U2157162) on Tuesday, 14th September 2010

  In that case, pyracantha. Fast, evergreen, wildlife friendly, flowers in spring and berries in autumn. You could stick some unobtrusive wires on their shed to train it.

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• Message 9

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  Posted by anothergardener (U14387447) on Tuesday, 14th September 2010

  Fast growing, summer interest, to blend in with the countryside? Native elder.

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