Hi, I need to hide my neighbours and need some hedge ideas. I’m tossing up between lilly pillies or bamboo (non invasive of course). I live in Sydney. The soil is pretty heavy and almost waterlogged. Although our yard is north facing the spot for the hedge is shaded by a fence and palm trees. We probably only need a height of 2-3 metres and I prefer a more natural look than a heavily pruned look. Any ideas/tips would be greatly appreciated.

rik said:

Hi, I need to hide my neighbours and need some hedge ideas. I’m tossing up between lilly pillies or bamboo (non invasive of course). I live in Sydney. The soil is pretty heavy and almost waterlogged. Although our yard is north facing the spot for the hedge is shaded by a fence and palm trees. We probably only need a height of 2-3 metres and I prefer a more natural look than a heavily pruned look. Any ideas/tips would be greatly appreciated.

You’ll need to fix the drainage for either of those.

I believe that callestemons (bottle brushes), especially the weeping ones, will soak up the bog…I’ve got cracking black clay and they did fine until the drought…you need to pick your variety of bottle brush tho’: I think RoughBarked might be your best bet for this query…

Dinetta said:

I believe that callestemons (bottle brushes), especially the weeping ones, will soak up the bog…I’ve got cracking black clay and they did fine until the drought…you need to pick your variety of bottle brush tho’: I think RoughBarked might be your best bet for this query…

Shade?

Oops I didn’t see that bit…well, small lillipillies would be a better option then, be nice if they have scented leaves…

Dinetta said:

Oops I didn’t see that bit…well, small lillipillies would be a better option then, be nice if they have scented leaves…

I doubt they’d handle shade and bog either.

They are a rainforest plant, mostly…palm trees aren’t all that shady, and I thought lilly pillys were a kind of fig?

Off to bed for me…

click

Dinetta said:

They are a rainforest plant, mostly…palm trees aren’t all that shady, and I thought lilly pillys were a kind of fig?

Off to bed for me…

click

Not a fig afaik. Mine in shade don’t do anywhere near as well as those that get some sun. They seem very prone to scale and stuff.

Something here:

http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/2001/archives/2001_archives/in_the_garden/flowering_plants_and_shrubs/best_lilly_pilly_varieties

As good a place to start as any…

Evening. Godd grief youj lot have been gasbagging the last couple of days… :)
I’ve been a good girl playing in the garden the last few days and barely had time to do a little lurking here (oh and been tending my virtual farm as well).

Housework and computer jobs have gone by the wayside this week. I don’t have a huge lot to show for my gardening efforts this week, compared to what you guys get done, but my standard I have been fairly productive….have even dug over 3 or 4 beds, which I normally need to get MrS to do because it hurts my back usually. But so far no real pain. YaY :)

AnneS said:

Evening. Godd grief youj lot have been gasbagging the last couple of days… :)
I’ve been a good girl playing in the garden the last few days and barely had time to do a little lurking here (oh and been tending my virtual farm as well).

Housework and computer jobs have gone by the wayside this week. I don’t have a huge lot to show for my gardening efforts this week, compared to what you guys get done, but my standard I have been fairly productive….have even dug over 3 or 4 beds, which I normally need to get MrS to do because it hurts my back usually. But so far no real pain. YaY :)

Ooops! wrong thread! Also meant to say “Good Grief”, not Godd! ROFL

AnneS said:

Housework and computer jobs have gone by the wayside this week. I don’t have a huge lot to show for my gardening efforts this week, compared to what you guys get done, but my standard I have been fairly productive….have even dug over 3 or 4 beds, which I normally need to get MrS to do because it hurts my back usually. But so far no real pain. YaY :)

That’s good news :)

Shade.. is a variable thing. The amount of shade received on the soil will vary from the bottom of the fence -> out. You are sure to be planting well away from the fence as the fence needs maintenance and plants at the base of the fence will impede progress and damage the fence lifetime expectancy.

Many plants will be suited to the boggy conditions and be capable of assiting in drying the soil surface. It is true that Callistemons and Melaleucas can do this well.

I’d need to know more about the soil type and Ph to make recommendations. I’d also need a shade map.

the shade bit makes it hard… rik says he wants an informal hedge so no over-the-top pruning is required. To me this and the shade means either a small tree with bare trunk and the majority of its foliage at the 2-3m mark and some of the Callistemons and Melaleucas will cater for this or maybe even a slow growing Cuppressus or a Allocasuarina will do? Both of these may get a little on the larger side….