I need some advice on which is the best rhodo for a narrow space. The spot I wish to put it in is: facing south, 4' wide (between bay window & front door), 10' high (to the roof overhang), watering system is in place, good drainage, acid soil due to the incorporation of aged sheep manure, and protected from wind. Thanks
Rhododendrons like cool positions with shaded root zones. They don't like hot sun reflecting off of walls or soil with mineral salts in it. Heavy leaching is characteristic of many wild habitats, the root zone often consisting primarily of accumulated plant litter in a cloudy climate with copious rainfall. Garden hybrids are often more tough but still have same general parameters. If this is a hot spot and the manure has the usual levels of salts you may not be able to get good results from a rhododendron there. Enough minerals in the amended soil and a rhododendron may burn and die or by seriously damaged. If the manure is old and leached to the point that it is no longer salty then that is different. However, if you have prepared a pocket of heavily amended soil surrounded by a larger area of unmodified soil the problems that are often created by this approach will still be possible. If I came upon this situation I might remove the amended soil, replace with similar soil to that around the amended area and plant a heat-loving evergreen shrub, maybe something like a Chilean myrtle or other marginal subject that would benefit from being placed in a warm nook, instead of resent it like a rhododendron probably would. Even with those rhododendrons that are commonly planted in the open and described as heat tolerant or suitable for full sun by commercial sources there is still the problem of the roots needing to be cool - in grower's fields the stock is often packed closely together in the rows and watered overhead during hot weather. In addition the flowers of these kinds melt away prematurely during sunny weather, even when the foliage is sun-resistant.
Not too thrilled with the myrtle. What about pieris? Is there a narrow type? My favorite is Valley Valentine. Can it be pruned to keep it 4' wide? Thanks
Well let's back up a little.... why have you decided you want a rhododendron in the first place? Certain assumptions arise from your initial selection, for example, that you want a broad-leafed evergreen. Or is it the flowers... or what? In Pieris too you've chosen a plant that is usually happier in a damp shady place. Generally speaking, big leaves are designed to capture the maximum amount of light from a shady place. Now, just what is this spot really like in terms of sun exposure? I happen to have a south-facing spot that is quite shady; if it is recessed enough as my space is (in my back yard between a privacy fence and an extension built off the back of the house) it may only get a few hours sun right into the alcove. But if yours is open to one side, especially to the west, it'll be a little hot for most rhodos. I think the rhodos that tolerate sun the best are some of the species types which can be hard to get (R. pachysanthum, I think - no expert here so double check my info on the web or look for corroboration), or the smaller-leaved ones; I'm thinking of one I have called Twinkles, which has tiny pink flowers along the stems. May not be the look you're after, though. Finally, how much trouble are you willing to go to in order to find the BEST rhodo for this situation, if Rhodo is what you're sure you want? If you're willing to scour the web and mail order it, asking here is a good start. If you're wanting to shop locally, then you're best off to go to the nursery to start with and see what they have, and choose from that. You can look at the growth habit of the plant at the nursery to get an idea of its later shape. The angle of the new growth off old stems is usually typical, so just mentally repeat that and see what eventual plant shape you get - look for upright new growth. Also, look at how many new branches typically emerge at each node; that will give you an idea too of how bushy the plant will get. You can always prune, but you might be able to find a plant that will naturally do what you want. Finally, consider other options besides broadleaf evergreen. Even deciduous shrubbery can work. With that height and sun, you could grow a nice upright japanese maple, a Physocarpus Diabolo with nice purple foliage, or maybe a lilac... but I think I would also gravitate to a conifer. A Thuja 'deGroot's Spire' perhaps, or a weeping norway spruce... but again, availability can be the wild card. But the nursery need not be only a limiting factor. Sometimes it's a source of pleasant surprises and great ideas. Those people are in the business of finding plants that do well in your area, so may be your best place to start. If they don't have much in stock, tell them your specs and see what else they can source for you.
Thanks lots. You're right, I'll have to rethink and start at the beginning. I'll start a new thread. Thanks again. Chris
Also, how far out does the roof overhang? As for shaded roots, many Rhododendrons do that for themselves, but the ones that do, could easily become too wide. Were you wanting flowers?
Any small or new specimens stuck in a hot spot, without a wide skirt of low branches or other source of shade will have sun beating on their root zones. And most delicate outer roots of trees and shrubs are often growing into soil beyond the branch canopy, when the specimen has not been recently transplanted. A rhododendron park near here uses shade cloth on some specimens in summer, as (according to the curator) the sun coming between the trees and reflecting on the sawdust mulch beneath is enough for the bottoms(!) of their leaves to be burnt.
It's best to just stay on the same thread, actually; then both readers and writers have all their information together.
Roof overhang is only 2'. Doesn't provide shade. It does not get any east sun, gets full south sun, and till 4pm (summer)west sun. I want something evergreen and handsome as it is beside the front door. The siding is white so I want something with dark green foilage. Need not have flowers but if it does they should be dark. This bed is a narrow strip (2') along a bay window with a small area of 4' square beside the front door (new plant spot). Other than this spot the bed is all planted to Erica. Summer and winter blooming types(pink flowers). I may add some Coral Bells this coming summer. I live only a mile or two from the ocean (Pacific North/West) so our sun is not too hot for spring or fall flowers even in a hot spot like this. July and August are our hottest months and there are only a few short hot periods. A very mild climate. Suntans are pretty rare here except on construction workers. We all have beautiful soft skin. Thanks
This one can be interesting up close. "Use the shrubs in place of common boxwood, dwarf Japanese hollies, Kurume azaleas, etc." http://www.arthurleej.com/a-guava.html
One of the issues I would consider here is whether what you plant will lean for the light. In my experience, deciduous shrubs do this really badly, and rhodos to some extent, but conifers don't. Which is one reason I'd go with a conifer. Somehow the setting suggests a Chamaecyparis to me - Filicoides, perhaps, or Well's Special, or Wissel's Saguaro. These tend to have good structural interest as well as nice foliage. However, your original idea of a rhodo would work, but you have to look for one that has fairly upright growth, and whose leaves you like. Unless you prune them for structure, they can have a tendency to look like green blobs, as Ron has pointed out elsewhere, and if they lean for the light they look like crooked green blobs. There are two other broadleaf evergreens that are really quite nice that I think could work. One is Osmanthus burkwoodii, which has very tidy leaves and though it blooms white, its flowers are fragrant and thus a benefit. The other is Ilex, of which I like a cultivar called Mariesii. Oh, and what about Nandina? I think it grows in any conditions.
A problem I see with choosing a common hardy plants such as just about all those you are suggesting is that the opportunity I mentioned earlier for using this location as a warm nook for a comparatively special plant of marginal hardiness will not have been made use of.
But if the features sought are not rarity or botanical interest but structural presence, then why should rarity factor into the decision? One thing I have observed over the years, as I've repeatedly bought plants BECAUSE they are "rarely seen in commerce", is that often there is a good reason why they are rarely seen in commerce. That is, they don't look that interesting nor perform that well, nor really have anything to recommend them besides the fact that they are unusual. Now that my own interests have evolved more to landscaping than to plant collecting, some of the first plants I will be editing from my collection are botanical rarities that really serve no purpose other than to scratch my acquisitive itch. And conversely, I have come to appreciate the more common plants with an understanding of the attraction of their stalwart, tolerant, and predictable nature. As for marginal hardiness, the anxiety of wondering all winter whether that special plant will make it through the night is not for everyone. Sometimes you just want to look at a plant you like with pleasure in its landscape function and confidence in its ability to withstand whatever nature throws at it.
Thanks again. I'm looking at Chamaecyparis nana gracilis. The size looks about right. I don't know about a specialty plant. I've only lived on the coast for 1 year and am new to gardening here. I come from Alberta. After many years of planting what nursery people suggest, I've pretty well given up on experiments. It gets too expensive. Not to mention the time lost. Luckily, in Alberta, we had government references to rely on, but not here in British Columbia. I want a reliable architectural plant. I do lean toward conifers. There is another planted area across the sidewalk from this spot. It has a large rock, creeping deodar cedar, and a few junipers. I'll send a picture with my next post. Thanks
Conifers placed near buildings may open up on the side facing the building, if you will be looking through a window at your new specimen this may become an issue in time. With one like Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana Gracilis'* it may develop a sort of backside through which you are looking into the dead foliage of the interior - this is often seen with others commonaly planted near buildings such as dwarf spruces and columnar arborvitaes. *Stock sold under this name may prove to be more vigorous than expected, invigoration by seedling rootstocks or misidentification may both be involved - the true item is quite dwarf
