Outdoor Plants/Flowers for the Non-Greenfingered?

cakinwande

Hi there!

I'm in the process of landscaping my garden and wondered what plants/flowers I could plant without having to water them or care for them too often?

I am not very green-fingered and plants tend to die on me often...!

Thank you

lostinrates

How much is ''too often'' and what do you want from the plants....flowers? screening? scent? that might help people help you

cakinwande

Thanks Lostinrates, I don't want to have to water them every week, so something with low maintainence.

I would like something that will create small bushes so my small dogs can't get thru/jump over, they would act like a hedge.

Im looking for white/pale colour flowers that looks modern, not too bothered about scent but hopefully not something to strong? I also like tall plants/(narrow non-expensive trees?) that will create height and still look good in the winter.

If anyone could help that would be awesome!

cakinwande

Oh, and also, plants/flowers that won't encourage the dogs to eat them if possible...?

lostinrates

Hmm, well ...I think lots of things don't NEED maintaining, but might like it. e.g. choosing the right rose you could spend ten mins a year on it pruning and thats it. rose hedges are fab but not great on road side/pavement boundaries. Buddlia....if you don't mind it a bit big and floppy can be left...my mother does that.

re dogs, do you have another boundary? If you want a hedge to keep the dogs in then you'll probably actually need to maintain, otherwise most things will go leggy at the bottom and gappy. How big are the dogs?

J_J_Carter

How about Berberis?

cakinwande

They are only small dogs, biggest is a Chihuaha/Jack so I am looking for hedging that is low to the ground but also tall as he can jump about 2-3ft and I don't know the names of anything! Total novice here

This is for my enclosed back garden.

I just googled Berberis and it looks nice. Do you know how much roughly could I get some for and do they still look good in the winter? Do they all flower or some only certain species? (if thats the right terminonlogy..!)

Any ideas for tall inexpensive trees?

Scotsbride

Herbs need less watering. but whatever you grow you are going to have to water at least once a week if there has been no rain to keep it from dying. Sorry but really they are no short cuts to this. If you plan to have things in pots they may need more watering also if they are in a windy area. In pots use moisture retaining compost. when you water make sure you give the plants a really good water this means the soil should be wet at least a trowel lenght down. also don't water when the sun is at its hottest you will cook the plants instead water late in the evening about 8-9 pm. or at the crack of dawn before the sun is properly up.

Scotsbride

cakinwande wrote: »

They are only small dogs, biggest is a Chihuaha/Jack so I am looking for hedging that is low to the ground but also tall as he can jump about 2-3ft and I don't know the names of anything! Total novice here

This is for my enclosed back garden.

Lonicera 'baggens gold' is lime green hedgin plant rater informal in it's habbit. herbs can work well berberis is nice tey are evergreen flower can be on some variety yellow or orange

I just googled Berberis and it looks nice. Do you know how much roughly could I get some for and do they still look good in the winter? Do they all flower or some only certain species? (if thats the right terminonlogy..!)

Any ideas for tall inexpensive trees?

Almalacher grows 2-3m height it has lovely autum colour and white flowers in spring. crab apples and acers are also good in small gardens if you wat really go for conifers but then how much shade it will make you don't want to go fo anything taller than twice the height of you house or it will look out of prepotion. Also avoid willow (salix near house councils offen blame these for subidence)