Tree border. Help a girl out!

[Mumstheword1983]

I want to plant trees as a border in my garden it is sloped (steep) and around 2.5 meters in length. (The part that I would like to plant). I would like these to be at least 2 meters at full height and not too difficult to maintain myself. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I have no clue!

@Mumstheword1983 Where do you want to plant - on the patio side of the railings in that narrow strip currently filled with gravel, or on the other side?

I think it’s the other side, the bare slope

OP, you will need to choose something that will do well in those conditions. You are near the sea in Scotland so I am guessing windy and plenty of rain, as well as sun? How cold does it get?

Gorse would be what would grow naturally I suspect - tough as old boots and pretty yellow flowers, although spiky. Might not be your first choice visually.

Do you have any garden centres nearby? They could advise on what grows well in local soil. Or a locally based gardener could also give advice. As I said above you probably want to get someone in to plant for you anyway as they will need to be very well dug in and supported.

Here’s a couple of potentially helpful articles

https://scotlandgrowsmagazine.com/2021/03/15/plants-for-windy-sites#:~:text=Christmas%20Berry%2C%20Photinia%20x%20fraseri,Whitebeam%2C%20Sorbus%20Aria scotlandgrowsmagazine.com/2021/03/15/plants-for-windy-sites/#:~:text=Christmas%20Berry%2C%20Photinia%20x%20fraseri,Whitebeam%2C%20Sorbus%20Aria]]]]

https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/trials-awards/using-award-winning-plants/10-award-winning-cold-tolerant-plants www.rhs.org.uk/plants/trials-awards/using-award-winning-plants/10-award-winning-cold-tolerant-plants]]]]

https://www.gardenninja.co.uk/16-essential-evergreen-shrubs-for-time-poor-low-maintenance-gardeners#:~:text=Once%20established%2C%20Dwarf%20Mountain%20Pine,Pinus%20mugo)%20on%20Amazon%20UK www.gardenninja.co.uk/16-essential-evergreen-shrubs-for-time-poor-low-maintenance-gardeners/#:~:text=Once%20established%2C%20Dwarf%20Mountain%20Pine,Pinus%20mugo)%20on%20Amazon%20UK]]]]

Thanks so much. Not too bad for wind as we are quite sheltered. It does get cold in winter -2 for days at a time on and off. Particularly January and February. Good mix of sun and rain all year. Plenty 20C plus days over May/June/July/Aug. I am very close to the sea and harbour. Can see it from the garden.

Yes garden centres local to me and B&Q etc in neighbouring town. Thanks for the articles.

Yes to be planted on the bare slope. Everything there grows fast (mainly weeds) there are a couple of stumps from large trees which have been cut down by previous owners.

Fruit trees on dwarf root stock? Pretty and fruit, cherry, apple, plum? 2.5m isn't very long maybe three shrubs in there and lower growing plants in between.

How would the OP harvest this fruit?

Are you planning on hopping over the railings to prune/maintain/harvest fruit?

Or are you looking for something to plant that will look after itself and will need no further input after initial stages?

I think you need to decide on that first.

Also are you trying to create a visual barrier or is it just to have something covering the bare ground?

It’s exciting to have a challenge though, I’m sure you’ll make it into a lovely area.

You could look at Rosa Rugosa, which is a rose that grows well near the coast - it is thorny and tough though, will be a good option if you’re not planning on actually going into that area very often.

Low maintenance. I do have a garden company that weed and clear twice a year so they would be able to maintain.

Visual barrier, something that looks nice and a deterrent so that the children don't try and hop over.

i would plant a few low growing shrubs that will never get too big and need pruning. It could look lovely. Potentilla fruticosa is good on a bank - maybe three of them. Rosa rugosa is a great idea. A dwarf conifer like a Juniperus squamata or mugo mops - will never need pruning and will never block out the light. Perhaps Myrtus Communis - compact and with sweet smelling flowers. Plant in the autumn though otherwise it’ll be very difficult keeping them watered through summer. If you plant in autumn, by next summer they’ll be more established and able to cope.

Update. Thanks so much to everyone. We went to the local garden centre and after speaking with our gardeners that will be maintaining this slop we decided to go for fast growing hedging. Cherry Laurel was my first choice until I was put off by the potentially toxic issue for young kids if picked. So we went for Red Robin hedging which is less of a worry. They are being delivered next week and our gardeners will plant them while they weed the majority of this. Thanks again to all. I have plenty advice for going forward as we have more of this to do.