Wanted a small easy shrub

Farway

I'm looking for ideas for a replacement shrub

I had a buddlia, which is dying, I think I may have Roundup drifted it:o:(

Not to worry, it was a monster in the wrong place as it turned out

I'm looking for an easy care, neglect and never touch it shrub to take it's place

The main purpose of this plant is to obscure / disguise the gas meter box

The area is adjacent to a footpath and neigbours front path so no prickles or spikes please

The ground is poor but good enough, occasional dog poo provides some nutrients:(

The border is open, partial shade with sun midday on, not bright direct but OK
Border is about 3 feet wide max, so spread should not exceed this or it will block path

Height, I don't want it to ever need lopping back, so ideally grows no more than say around 6 feet

I was at Wisley yesterday, and the Witch Hazels were superb, but unfortunately final sizes are too big, bearing in mind I find pruning etc physically difficult these days

I'd like this shrub to maybe have flowers, scent would be nice

I don't mind common as muck plants as long as it suits

One I found was this forsythia
https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/71890/i-Forsythia-i-Font-Face-times-New-Roman-Maree-d-Or-FONT-Courtasol/Details

Any other ideas please?

spadoosh

Bush Honeysuckle? Youll need to trim it occasionally though to keep it in your size requirements.

Farway

spadoosh wrote: »

Bush Honeysuckle? Youll need to trim it occasionally though to keep it in your size requirements.

Thanks, I'd thought along those lines, but trimming is not in my physical abilities these days, balance problems means I'd probably finish up in the bush:D

DaftyDuck

If there is enough light - and it sounds like sufficient - how about an evergreen herb bush like one of the rosemarys ... given it's next to a path, you have the benefit of scent as you pass (and even better when you do fall in!).

R. albiflorus with white flowers, or Roman Beauty for arched branches would add interest. Hyssop might grow large enough, and comes in a variety of flowers. Common as muck, but why not?

They'll love the um... crap soil... you might be less keen to harvest as a result! The scent will also hide gas leaks!

theoretica

Perhaps a hebe? eg http://www.architecturalplants.com/plants/id/hebe-parviflora-angustifolia

Farway

Thanks for the suggestions, both Rosemary or hebe sound ideal, and I know they grow fine around here

I may try & wedge them both in, I've struggling fuchsia that may be on last legs, fuchsia mite rife around here:(

sheramber

A forsythia would need pruning out of old wood each spring as it flowers on new wood. It would also need pruned to restrict it to 3 feet wide.

Most shrubs will grow as wide as they are tall.

You need to look for something columnar in habit

Rosemary is a good selection and has the advantage you could it in cooking.

andrewf75

Choisya ternata?

Davesnave

What about Sarcococca hookerianum?

Evergreen, not too large, no prickles and smells good around now.

Maybe not from this source, but their web page gives a good overview:

https://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/sarcococca-hookeriana-var-digyna--purple-stem/classid.2000011744/

Farway

Thanks again, loads of options there, I used to have the choisya at a previous house, liked it there, and Dave's one sounds ideal as well

And the forsythia,idea, i had thought of that but my difficulty with pruning put it on back burner, otherwise it would be the ideal one for the spot