virgin gardner - just made huge mistake?????

[ernest]

We've just got our first garden. I know NOTHING about plant. We've got a narrow border round our patio & wanted to plant something - a hedge, but not a hedge - iyswim for privacy. Saw these little plants - Cotinus royal purple & thought they looked a bit different & nice etc. The card said they grew to 1 - 1.2 metres tall.

The 1st shop didn't have enough so I went to a different garden centre & asked for this plant & they took me to it - and it was well over 2 metres tall! I looked shocked & they said it actually grew to 3 - 5 m!!!! They said there was not another miniture variety.

So - does anyone know if there is a smaller variety?
If it really does grow up to 5 m, is it ok to keep it trimmed to 1m or will it just get too thick/bushy/grow to quick to keep it this small?
do we trust the card or trust the info of the gardner. I did a quick internet search & all info seems to indicate it's BIG,

Don't know if I can leave it or need to do anything. Any wise gardners who can help?

Just looked in hubbys tree & shrub book - Cotinus is a 'large & showy specimin, although often seen in mixed borders' as far as the size goes - it says 4 x 4m. Does suggest cutting off the new shoots each spring to keep under control. Very pretty though - leaves turn bright red in autumn !

I'm sure you can keep it trimmed, trace the branch back to the trunk and chop there. If you cut the tips you'll end up with a lollipop.
For some others shrubs - You can get some smaller tough fuschia's which'll flower all summer

I wouldn't plant this on a narrow border,you'll spend all your time cutting it back.It really is a specimin shrub or large hedging plant.If I remember rightly it has sharp thorns too.

I have never heard of a miniature Cotinus.Was it that particular colour that you liked?If so,I'll see if there is anything similar in my books.

Ernest it is big and gorgeous, but totally unsuitable for a narrow border. (Privacy- wise it won't be much use either as loses leaves over the winter). Take them back, unless you want to keep one as a specimen.
What about a lavender hedge - low but you'll get a nice scent?

ernest...have just finished working as a gardener and so know a little about shrubs, sizes and things...just wondering what sort of height you would like, whether you want it to loose it leaves or keep them, flowering or with berries, and what sort of site it is ie.sunny/shaded,,,because if you have any of these kind of criteria then I could perhaps recommend some good shrubs that will fill the flower bed and look like a hedge too...hope this makes some sense to you..xx

egs...Abelia grandiflora...6ft...flowers June-Sep with beautiful scent and is very bushy (deciduous)

.....Weigela florida 'Variegata'...4ft...flowers May-June...cream and green leaves (very striking in a garden)...deciduous

.....Osmanthus burkwoodii...6ft...is an evergreen shrub, has a fantastic scent and when covered in flowers in April/May looks a picture..

sun is best btw.

Ooh, Lavender, I want to pick your brains re plants!! Shall I start a new thread or hijack this one??

I don't mind whichever is best

so do i lavender. fianlly got my 1st garden lol.

Agree -the plant you have is really pretty deciduous shrub, with wine red leaves and good autumn colour. Its sometimes called the smoke bush because of its flowers. We have one and its quite slow growing, open habit. Not suitable for narrow border though.

You want something evergreen with neat tidy habit and/or more than one season of interest. How tall/wide do you want it? Do you know what kind of soil you have? eg what seems to be growing well in the neighbours gardens? Where do you live eg inland, coast, high up. Assume you are in the UK?

Totally mis-read the title of this thread, thought some mumsnetter had asked someone to do the garden for them, and then taken advantage.

so I see the answer to my question is yes - I have made a huge mistake!

I spoke to the manager of the garden centre. My 1st bone of contention was that we picked it for privacy & it was in the evergreen section & now I find out (thanks to you lot) that it isn't evergreen - it looses it's leaves. He said well it says here 'deciduous' & I just had to sdya that I didn't know this word - only that there sign says it's evergreen. He answered "well, it is evergreen - it's green all spring & summer & even a bit in autumn, "!!!!!!!

thanks for your advice everyone - misdee hope you have better luck than me. I have no idea what I'm doing & all the neighbours are creating fantastic show gardens & me to my shame have bought one lot of plants only to dig them up 2 days later.

Anyway, he's agreed I can return them - now I just have to dig the whole bloody lot up.

breeze, that wouild certainly be more fun!

oh dear. I can see two cotinus cogyria from my window as I type, one is about 12ft high, the other about 20ft!

What would be lovely around your patio is Euonymous fortunei, it is evergreen, can be clipped right back to form a nice clean hedge that keeps its shape well over the year. There are various varieties, I would go for a variegated version called "Silver Queen". It is dark green with a white edge to the leaves and looks very crisp and nice. I personally don't like the dark green and yellow variegated versions, but they are another option if you like that look...I have a low hedge of this and it is no bother and very nice.

Earnest - if all the neighbours are creating show gardens they woudl probably be only too happy to give advice.As you can see, we keen gardeneners LOVE giving advice and showing off our knowledge. If you talk to your neighbours they will tell you what kind of soil you have and the local conditions and what grows well in your area. they might even give you some free plants when they divide theirs in teh autumn!

As you have discovered, getting the right plant for the right place is sometimes quite tricky.We all get it wrong sometimes

If the garden centre told you that Cotinus is evergreen you are entitled to your money back!

Not only should you get cash back for the plants but also for all that compost you used planting them - and your time too. Say £20 worth of gift vouchers will cover it - or you'll name and shame on mumsnet!!
Evergreen indeed - phone call to the manager required methinks.

oh butt it is evergreen - in summer.
I got my money back - everyone was amazed I managed that.

Neighbours all ok. Our soil is really horribly sticky clayey soil. Not nice.

The plants you've all mentioned, well, I'm very impressed. It all sounds like a foreign language and very daunting to me - dunno if I'll ever get beyond hedge & grass (lawn) . I bought btw, on the advice of better, posh expensive garden centre little conifers I think they are. Definitely ever green! Called tuja or summat like that? Half way throught pl;anting 17 of the buggars. Oh, also got ambitios & bought berry bush as ds loves berries, but guess we'll have to wait till this time next year for fruit.

Ta everyone