Stone and sod ditch

Gairdin nua

I am developing the garden of what I expect will be my retirement home in a country area in the south west. The site is an existing one and the boundary of the garden on two sides is a secondary road and a bye road as it is a corner plot. The ditch bounding both roads is the original, an ugly stone and sod thing running in all for about 70 metres or more of generally poor quality and just about serves its purpose. I had some griselinia hedging planted on it and plan to have some more succulent evergreen hedge planted on the inside to give me privacy and hide the ugly facade. I am trying to think low maintenance as getting achy but not sure it will ever be pretty. Most of my neighbours who have new houses had fancy limestone lined walls and avenues erected. The dilemma is what would I replace it with that fills the criteria for pretty, private and cost expensive and are there planning implications for fiddling with a roadside ditch? Appreciatively.

peadar76

it sounds similar to the two existing boundaries of my garden. But I don't consider them ugly. Well mine isn't just sod and stone, it has hawthorn, briars, gorsh, etc growing on it. It's full of wildlife, mainly birds and hedgehogs. I wouldn't dream of changing it. Have you any photos?

Gairdin nua

peadar76 wrote: »

it sounds similar to the two existing boundaries of my garden. But I don't consider them ugly. Well mine isn't just sod and stone, it has hawthorn, briars, gorsh, etc growing on it. It's full of wildlife, mainly birds and hedgehogs. I wouldn't dream of changing it. Have you any photos?

Yes good idea, will do Peadar in a few weeks as working abroad at moment.

looksee

Its difficult to give an opinion without seeing the situation. Is this a new-build? In which case the new walls like your neighbours' might be the way to go, but very expensive. If it is an older building (or even if it is a newbuild) the ditch might be a better solution. I cannot find any enthusiasm for planting griselinia on an old ditch, as Peader says there are lots of shrubs and plants that will grow in that situation and look part of the countryside, and attractive.

Are you saying that the facade of the ditch is ugly, or the view generally? Are you near the sea, or on an exposed hillside? If you got the ditch repaired and planted with sympathetic plants and bushes it would need less attention than hedging.

Gairdin nua

looksee wrote: »

Its difficult to give an opinion without seeing the situation. Is this a new-build? In which case the new walls like your neighbours' might be the way to go, but very expensive. If it is an older building (or even if it is a newbuild) the ditch might be a better solution. I cannot find any enthusiasm for planting griselinia on an old ditch, as Peader says there are lots of shrubs and plants that will grow in that situation and look part of the countryside, and attractive.

Are you saying that the facade of the ditch is ugly, or the view generally? Are you near the sea, or on an exposed hillside? If you got the ditch repaired and planted with sympathetic plants and bushes it would need less attention than hedging.

This is the ditch, looking west and the other is north facing, the garden is open to the Atlantic winds as 18 miles from the coast so must erect/grow some wind breaks ut trying to preserve the views.

looksee

That's a glorious outlook you have! I can only say what I would do, and that might not be what you would do or prefer. I do not live in that kind of landscape so there will probably be more experienced views from others.

I think the decision has to be made for a wind break or a view. I don't think a windbreak is ever going to be successful there, short of a conifer plantation, so I think I would go for the view. I have no problem with the appearance of the ditch, though I honestly cannot say I like the griselinia on top. A bit of natural planting on the inside of the bank - primroses, foxgloves - a couple of small hardy trees planted in the garden in line with the distant evergreens, maybe something low-growing on top of the ditch, not to form a windbreak but to look appealing. You are going to be quite limited with what will grow in that situation, there really isn't a lot of point fighting it, go with it and blend with the landscape.

Gairdin nua

Thank you all for your kind advice. Contributors are kinder about the ditch than I am and I guess it could be a feature if I get some nice plantings on it as suggested.
Re the wind break. I would miss not having a place to be able to sit out on the more temeperate days but that cannot be done with a view so my intention is to develop a patio at the rear of the house protected by a wind break which will not obstuct the view from the house windows. I also have dogs and their security from getting on to he road is difficult unless I have a secure place as the perimeter would be difficult to make dog proof.