copse opposite

cootambear

I was thinking of planting a plum tree and blackberries. Any other suggestions?

cootambear

squack wrote: »

should be fine, just be stealthy when planting, pull dead leaves and detritus from the woodland floor around the base of the plants to hide the disturbed soil and remove any labels etc,and remember to water until the plants are well established

Good advice for burying corpses too..........

SteveClarkson_2

Kay_Peel wrote: »

I am very grateful to people like the OP - gardening guerrillas, I think they call them.

I quite agree - admittedly, I wouldn't be too chuffed if my route to work on the bike was interrupted by a million cooking apples all over the road one morning after some strong wind, but in general, these people who go around planting flowers on "dead" bits of ground should feel very proud of themselves!

You're more than welcome to come and do some "guerillaring" in my area whenever you like! (I have enough trouble making stuff grow on my own land, without worrying about other peoples!)

rhiwfield

Generally I'd be pretty relaxed about guerilla gardening, especially if it takes place on urban wasteland. But just say the copse has value for its native plants and trees, providing food and shelter for inverts, small mammals and birds. Or that it has an understorey of bluebells, wild orchids etc.

Thats when planting can be destructive, many spanish bluebells have been planted in hedgerows and hybridised with native species. People used to scatter the seed of himalayan balsam on river banks, now its become very invasive.

If you intend to plant there its only courtesy to ask the owner's permission, and also to do an initial survey of flora over the spring season to avoid damaging a wildlife habitat.

conradmum

cootambear wrote: »

I was thinking of planting a plum tree and blackberries. Any other suggestions?

I wouldn't plant a blackberry if I were you. It'll cover the copse in no time. Brambles are very invasive.

valk_scot

rhiwfield wrote: »

Generally I'd be pretty relaxed about guerilla gardening, especially if it takes place on urban wasteland. But just say the copse has value for its native plants and trees, providing food and shelter for inverts, small mammals and birds. Or that it has an understorey of bluebells, wild orchids etc.

Thats when planting can be destructive, many spanish bluebells have been planted in hedgerows and hybridised with native species. People used to scatter the seed of himalayan balsam on river banks, now its become very invasive.

If you intend to plant there its only courtesy to ask the owner's permission, and also to do an initial survey of flora over the spring season to avoid damaging a wildlife habitat.

Yes, I agree with this. It's one thing planting a few daffs on a 100% man made barren wasteland like a traffic island but it's another thing entirely to be deliberately planting possibly invasive non-native garden species into a wooldland that has a balanced ecosystem, either naturally or via careful management over many years.

The comment about planting a blackberry is spot on. Even if it is a native strain rather than some uber vigerous hybrid cultivar, it will soon grow to swamp the copse without serious annual management. Plus you'll need to remember to remove it ALL before you move house, or die, okay?

Best to keep gardening to your own garden, tbh. Or get an allotment. If you want to do some environmental improvements there are plenty of groups out there that would be most grateful for another strong pair of hands to help.

cootambear

valk_scot wrote: »

Yes, I agree with this. It's one thing planting a few daffs on a 100% man made barren wasteland like a traffic island but it's another thing entirely to be deliberately planting possibly invasive non-native garden species into a wooldland that has a balanced ecosystem, either naturally or via careful management over many years.

The comment about planting a blackberry is spot on. Even if it is a native strain rather than some uber vigerous hybrid cultivar, it will soon grow to swamp the copse without serious annual management. Plus you'll need to remember to remove it ALL before you move house, or die, okay?

Best to keep gardening to your own garden, tbh. Or get an allotment. If you want to do some environmental improvements there are plenty of groups out there that would be most grateful for another strong pair of hands to help.

I dont think wer`re talking about a stable ecosystem like a jungle island - this is a tiny wood in an urban area. No doubt garden seeds in their thousands get blown on it every year anyway.
The plants I`m thinking of are berries - rapberry, wild strawberry, blackberry, blueberry. Perhaps the blackberry will provide shelter for small birds. I`ll try and get some fruit but no doubt the birds and field mice will get the pick. Which will be good for the owls.
`Managed` woodland, like `managed` farmland, is a desert for birds and animals. Despite the UK being only 15% urban, half of our wildlife lives in gardens.

valk_scot

cootambear wrote: »

I dont think wer`re talking about a stable ecosystem like a jungle island - this is a tiny wood in an urban area. No doubt garden seeds in their thousands get blown on it every year anyway.
The plants I`m thinking of are berries - rapberry, wild strawberry, blackberry, blueberry. Perhaps the blackberry will provide shelter for small birds. I`ll try and get some fruit but no doubt the birds and field mice will get the pick. Which will be good for the owls.
`Managed` woodland, like `managed` farmland, is a desert for birds and animals. Despite the UK being only 15% urban, half of our wildlife lives in gardens.

Speaking as a person who spent many years of her career as a practicing ecologist (currently a SAHM though!!), you'd be surprised at what species you can find in even the most unpromising patch of scrub woodland. At least check that it's not registered as an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest)to ensure there's not some unfortunate species hanging on by a toenail there and you're just about to destroy its precious patch.

And, in addition, find out who owns it? Bottom line is, of course, it's not your land. Are you even allowed to be on it? I know the laws of trespass are stricter down south than here in Scotland but I don't think even the most relaxed of Scottish landowners would take that kindly to someone setting up a fruit garden on their property without permission.

Primrose

If you can find a nice sunny space you could plant a blackcurrant bush, or even a few strawberry plants, both of which will look fairly inconspicuous for most of the time. However, be prepared to check on them regularly at fruiting time or the birds will be sure to get there first. Another option might be to plant a couple of Tumbling variety tomato plants - red or yellow. They are only about ten inches high, so again might be fairly inconspicuous if you can find a place which isn't well visited.

miss_corerupted

I really would check who owns it first and if it is designanted SSSI or SAC before you proceed