Resting on Laurels - The Front Garden

Samuel T. Cogley

So with the veggie garden nearing completion I need to start thinking about the mess that is my front garden.

Before I do though I planted some Laurel bushes last year (at the wrong time) and they don't seem to be doing so well.

Some of the leaves look like this:



Some of the bushes look a bit sad:



Yet others in one corner seem happy out



Any thoughts? Perhaps a lack of water, the healthy ones are sort of down hill.

Lumen

They seem to be planted very close to the wall. Did you water them regularly while they were getting established?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Too near the wall for proper watering. Water them every time they get dry - for the next year. Mulch them with compost too.

Samuel T. Cogley

Lumen wrote: »

They seem to be planted very close to the wall. Did you water them regularly while they were getting established?

Not really and I sort of let them get very weedy. Too late or can they be saved?

Justin Easy Locker wrote: »

Too near the wall for proper watering. Water them every time they get dry - for the next year. Mulch them with compost too.

Will do! Should I look at replanting them or planting some more a bit further back? I was going to mulch them with some straw from the stable the wife goes too, would that be bad for them, or would compost be better?

Lumen

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

Not really and I sort of let them get very weedy. Too late or can they be saved?

You could try watering them regularly and then move them when they're stronger.

Your problem is this:

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

If you mulch and water properly for the next year, they should recover.

Samuel T. Cogley

Thanks guys very much appreciated!

Should I be doing any pruning?

Samuel T. Cogley

Thanks guys, the Laurels seem to be rebounding a bit. What are 'deez yokes' :pac: please?

celticbhoy27

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

Thanks guys, the Laurels seem to be rebounding a bit. What are 'deez yokes' :pac: please?

Haha they were/are conifers most likely goldcrest. They're beyond saving imo. You could trim out the brown bits but they'll always look neglected. If they were in my garden I'd remove tbh

Harry Palmr

Laurels are best used (if they have to be planted at all!) as filler in wooden fences, up against a contiguous stone/concrete wall they are the wrong choice - would be better to rip em out and go with something slow growing and spiky - how about Picea Pungens 'Globosa' which add some nice blues to edge the green of the lawn? The wall will be a useful shelter in the establishing years.

Samuel T. Cogley

Thanks Celtic! I wasn't overly happy with them any way to be honest so I think I'll pull them and plant some flowers.

Samuel T. Cogley

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Laurels are best used (if they have to be planted at all!) as filler in wooden fences, up against a contiguous stone/concrete wall they are the wrong choice - would be better to rip em out and go with something slow growing and spiky - how about Picea Pungens 'Globosa' which add some nice blues to edge the green of the lawn? The wall will be a useful shelter in the establishing years.

I was hoping for a quick screen, so much so I was looking at Leylandii. Would Laurels be a poor choice even for that?

Harry Palmr

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

I was hoping for a quick screen, so much so I was looking at Leylandii. Would Laurels be a poor choice even for that?

This is the thing isn't it? Size and speed! Both of them are grow so quickly and strongly they end up taking over your life My own home is surrounded by a Laurel at the front and sure it's a nice sound deadener/wind break but it's now about 4 feet wide and nearly 6 feet tall and I'd love to take a chainsaw to it! :pac:

Leylandii's should be banned from suburbia in my opinion!

Samuel T. Cogley

Have to say that blue bush is lovely looking! I do wish I'd found my way in there before I started out the front. You guys are extremely knowledgeable and helpful! Thank you!

Lumen

Don't plant Lleylandii. It's not just the size and aggressiveness, they can't be pruned heavily so are impossible to bring back once they get too big.

Samuel T. Cogley

Lumen wrote: »

Don't plant Lleylandii. It's not just the size and aggressiveness, they can't be pruned heavily so are impossible to bring back once they get too big.

The laurels where instead of the Lleylandii, so don't worry no 60ft monsters going in the front garden

looksee

I think you should do a bit more research on the picea before deciding on it, tbh.

Samuel T. Cogley

looksee wrote: »

I think you should do a bit more research on the picea before deciding on it, tbh.

No more bushes for me I'm afraid unless I manage to kill the Laurels. They seem to have bounced back a bit. I decided to water the conifer, see what it does - might as well give it a drink while I decide what to do.

Samuel T. Cogley

So the Laurels have rebounded nicely, I'm still getting some issues on the leaves shriveling and or going brown/black at the ends but I think this is just a combination of where they are and perhaps watering them too much now. They're certainly a lot bigger! I fed them and mulched them with some compost and top soil.

I'm not wondering could I put down some bark or gravel around them as the weeds are a bloody nightmare under them or is it too soon/not a good idea in general. If I am doing it should I put down some weed control fabric first?

Photos as per post one but with more healthy plants - let me know if more up to date photos would help.

Thanks for all the help folks!!

Samuel T. Cogley

Guys sorry to keep bumping but any suggestions how to make them go sideways rather than up. I cut the tops and new sprouts appear, do I need to trim the sides or will that happen naturally if I keep trimming the tops?

Thanks again for all the help!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

Guys sorry to keep bumping but any suggestions how to make them go sideways rather than up. I cut the tops and new sprouts appear, do I need to trim the sides or will that happen naturally if I keep trimming the tops?

Thanks again for all the help!

You actually should have trimmed the sides and left the tops until they were at the desired height.

Samuel T. Cogley

Justin Easy Locker wrote: »

You actually should have trimmed the sides and left the tops until they were at the desired height.

They're there now so I guess start trimming the sides? Just go at them a bit with manual hedge trimmers?

Samuel T. Cogley

Sorry to clarify they're the right height now so just keep trimming the tops and they'll bush 'out'?

Supercell

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

Sorry to clarify they're the right height now so just keep trimming the tops and they'll bush 'out'?

Yes thats it exactly, they will naturally grow wherever they can, so if your chopping off the top they'll put their energies into spreading out, that's the theory anyhow.

Samuel T. Cogley

Thanks Supercell, I'll start giving them a hair cut weekly!