Plant Information

• Planting for coastal areas over Chalk
• Planting in Dry Shade

Planting for coastal areas over Chalk

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As coastal areas receive fewer and less intense frosts than inland areas , one is able to grow many slightly tender shrubs and plants, however they often need to have tough grey or green waxy leaves, or narrow or hairy leaves to ensure they are not burned up by the salty winds especially during frosty spells when soil moisture is locked up . Chalky soils are very free draining and often occur on the drier south and east of Britain further increasing the requirement for plants to be drought tolerant to survive. Fortunately plants suited to drier “mediterranean” climates are often more tolerant of calcareous soils (which is saturated with calcium and other minerals) than those from wetter climates , where soil minerals do not accumulate in the top soil but are washed downwards.

Seafront garden plants should be planted in cushions so each plant gives protection to those behind it . Single plants sticking up above the others are liable to have there leaves burnt off. The tender new foliage of deciduous trees and shrubs are especially vulnerable.

Climbers for planting in exposed chalky soils

CLEMATIS tangutica, chirrosa vars. ,viticella vars, montana vars., HUMULUS lupulus “aureus” HEDERA canariensis “gloire de marengo”, Helix “glacier, “sagittifolia”, “green ripples” etc JASMINUM officinale “variagata” nudiflorum (north wall) CHAEMOMELES (shady wall) “pink lady” “nivalis” “crimson and gold”

COTONEASTER horizontalis LONICERA japonica “repens” , x Americana , periclymenum “late dutch” “belgica”, henyrii , etrusca superba PARTHENOCISSUS quinquefolia Henryana, tricuspidata, veitchii PASSIFLORA caerula, WISTERIA vars. Climbing roses , most

Other planting in exposed sites on chalky soils

A	B
ACACIA Retinoides, meansii, cultriformis ACANTHUS mollis, spinosus ACER pseudoplanatus vars AESCULUS hippocastanatum. AGAPANTHUS sp./cvs. AMPELODOPSIS mauritanica (a tall med. grass) ANTHEMIS cupaniana, ARTEMISA absinthum, arb. “Powis Castle” ASTER sedifolia, novae angliiCARYOPTERIS vars. CASSINIA fulvida, wards silver etc CEANOTHUS arboreus , ‘blue cushion’, ‘blue mound’ ‘concha’ “impressus” (small leaves) etc. CHAMAEROPS humilis CENTAUREA macrocephala, scabiosa CENTRANTHUS rubra, r. ‘alba’ CERCIS siliquastrum CISTUS cyprius, blanche , crispus, purpureus etc. CINERARIA maritima CHRYSANTHEMUM (leucanthemum)border vars	BULBS, tulipa, scilla, narcissi, anemone blanda, Leaucojum aestevum, galanthus, allium, muscari, iphion uniflorum, iris reticulata and dutch, crocus, ornithogalum umbellatum & nutans, lilium candidum, BALLOTA pseudodictamus BERBERIS ottawensis “Superba”, Candidula, stenophylla BRACHYGLOTTIS greyii BUPLEURUM fructicosum BUDDLEIA davidii in variety, globosa, salvifolia, heliophyllum etc BUXUS sempervirens vars.
C	D
CLEMATIS orientalis, Montana, flammula, viticella, armandii, tangutica. COLUTEA arborescens CONVOLVULUS cneorum, mauritanica CORYDALIS Lutea CORYLUS max.purpurea, “Kent cob” CORDYLINE australis + cvs. CONVALARIA (Lily of the Valley) CORONILLA glauca “citrina”, gold, varigated CORTADERIA sell.,cvs., richardii COTONEASTER all vars. CUPRESSUS arizonica “glauca”, macrocarpa, sempervirens ‘totem pole’ CRATAEGNUS mono.”Paul’s Scarlet”, “Rosea flore plena”, “ crimson cloud”, prunifolia CYNARA scolymus – Globe artichoke, Cardoon CHOISYA ternate cvs. CYTISUS “Porlock”, praecox, battanderi	DIANTHUS DORYCNIUM hirsutum
E	F
ECHINOPS ritro, humilis ELAEGNUS ebbengei ELYMUS magellenica, Leymus Aranatherum ERICA erigena, terminalis stricta, darleyensis ERYNGIUM(sea holly) ESCALLONIA “Iveyi” “Crimson spire”, “Apple blossom” EUCALPTUS parvifolia ,dalrympliana, nitens EUONYMUS all EUPHORBIA wulphenii, characias, ceratocarpa, nicense,ridgens arborescens etc. EURYOPS pectinatus ERODIUMS and GERANIUMS all	FATSIA japonica FORSYTHIA FRAXINUS ornus “Raywood” excelsior FORSYTHIA FREMONTODENDRON californicum FRUIT all APRICOT, FIG, NECTARINE, PEACH, PEARS, APPLES, PLUMS, CHERRIES,ETC
G	H
GAZANIA vars GARRYA elliptica GENISTA hispanica, aetensis GRISELINA littoralis + cvs	HEBE large x, Salicifolia, “Midsummer beauty”, Fragrant Jewel Great orme ,etc. Medium:- francescana, wiri vision, wiri image, oratia beauty etc. HELIANTHEMUM (rock rose) HELICHRYSUM angustifolium HEMERACALLIS HIPPOPHAE rhamnoides HYDRANGEA macrophylla (pinks)
I & J	K & L
ILEX x altaclerensis IRIS germanica, florentina JUGLANS regia (walnut)	KNIPHOFIA LABURNUM + cvs LAMPRANTHUS +cvs LAURUS nobilis, nob.aurea LAVANDULA all vars LIBERTIA grandiflora LAVATERA ssp LUPINUS arboreus LONICERA pileata, purpursii LYCIUM barbatum
M & N & O	P
MAGNOLIA grandiflora, x loebneri “Leonard Messel”& ‘Merrill’, Stellata MORUS nigra. NEPETA vars. MYRTUS communis OLEARIA virgata lineata, macrodonta ,solandri etc, OZOMANTHUS	PAEONIA delavayi, lutea, mollis, officinalis etc. PHLOMIS fructicosa PHORMIUM tenax vars PINUS sylvestris, thunbergii, nigra maritima, pinea, PHYLLOSTACHYS bissetti, viridi glaucescens, ‘catillonis’ PITTOSPORUM tobira POPULUS alba “nivea” PRUNUS (ornamental cherries) PYRACANTHA vars
Q & R & S	T & U & V & W
QUERCUS ilex, cerris, suber RHUS typina, typ lacinata ROSA rugosa and most roses ROSEMARY ssp. SALIX rosmarifolius, SAMBUCUS nigra “black beauty’ SALVIAS all SANTOLINA cham + vars SEDUM praealtum, confusum SILENE maritima “rosea” SOLANIUM crispum “glasnevin” SORBUS aria “lutescens” SPARTIUM junceum SPIREA japonica, nipponica van houtii STACHYS byzanticum	TAXUS baccata THUJA occidentalis, plicata TAMARIX tetandra, ramosissima, hampneana, TEUCRIUM fructians, chamaedrys ULEX europeus VERBASCUM olympicum, nigra VIBURNUM tinus VITIS vinifera , Seyval Blanc, Cascade, cognitiae. WEIGELA florida “variagata”
X & Y & Z
YUCCA gloriosa , gl. Variagata

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Planting in Dry Shade

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Moist shade exists on north facing banks ,walls fences and hollows where rain and run off soaks into the ground and moisture seeping down through the soil can come to the surface.

Far more common is dry shade which is of two types . Permanent , beneath roof overhangs and large evergreen trees and temporary , beneath the canopy of Deciduous trees and shrubs.

For us, in Thanet most recommendations for general shade do not apply as the moist shade experienced in wetter climates and on heavier soils do not apply here . All trees and shrubs extract an enormous quantity of moisture from the soil when they are in leaf and there roots go very deep.

However deciduous trees and shrubs do not take up any moisture during their dormant season , October –may and allow plenty of light to fall to the ground. This is why most woodland plants and bulbs produce their foliage very early in the spring and their flowers soon after. The foliage then often dies down in the summer and autumn, once the leaves come out on the trees above. Evergreen shrubs, climbers and perennials , like holly, ivy and bergenia ,also do most of their active growing during the winter and spring months and effectively go dormant during the summer , to withstand drought and shade. Paradoxically, mediterranean plants that go dormant in the summer months to withstand summer drought are also generally capable of withstanding dry shade created by deciduous trees.

Large evergreens such as evergreen oaks, eucalyptus and leylandii pose a problem as they take up moisture and cast shade all year round. The area beneath them is best left , with a mulch of leaves and some natural vegetation such as ivy,grass and bulbs,and screened by other shrubs in front. It may be a good site for a shed or compost heap. or other wise paved and used for a sitting area and a few watered pots of busy lizzies etc. Less shaded areas can grassed down but will most likely dry up in summer . When planning a bed or border next to an evergreen hedge or large shrub try, if you have room, to bring it out from the root zone of the hedge, the strip behind can be used as a pathway for cutting the hedge.

Never plant a tree or deciduous shrub under the overhanging branches of another tree, as it will not thrive and will try to grow out sideways towards the light.

Plants for permanently dry shade

Arum italicum (pictum and marmoratum) Acanthus Mollis Allium triquestrum Bergenia cordifolia (+cvars) Campanula porcharskyana Euonymus japonica ,jap variegata Euphorbia robbii, wulphenii Fatsia japonica , -false castor oil plant Hedera –Ivies* Iris foetidissima Scilla hispanica Fatsia japonica , -false castor oil plant Vinca difformis ‘Greystoke’‘Jenny pym’ Vinca major ‘Surrey marble’‘Variegata’

Plants for dry shade beneath deciduous trees

Aucuba Japonica Berberis darwinii,stenophylla and other evergreen types Buxus sempervirens Clematis Armandii Clematis cirrosa Cortaderia “pampas grass” Cotoneaster horizontalis, lacteus ,glaucophyllus etc. Cyclamen hed. (aut fl) coum (spr) Daphne odora ‘aureomarginata’ , phillipi Digitalis lutea, ambigua, parviflora, laevigata. Some ferns Dryopteris affinis/ vars. Dryopteris polyblepharum , Epimedium sulphureum , warleyensis, orange king. Eranthis hyemalis -Winter aconite Euphorbia amagdaloides rubra, Galanthus nivalis , -snowdrop Geranium Johnsons Blue,. Wargrave pink, macrorhyzum Grisalina littoralis, green and var. Helleborus orientalis, foetidus, corsicus Hemerocallis Autumn Red, Stella D,oro, Scilla nutans Liriope muscari -turf lily Leucojum aesteavum Ilex –holly all varieties.* Iris germanica vars. Muscari armenicum

Muscari neglectum Narcissus all vars Oleria macrodonta, virgata liniata pittosporum heterophyllum, het. var P. Tenuifolium Primula vulgaris , primrose Primula veris cowslip Poligonatum hybridum Pulmonaria angustifolia Symphytum caucasicum S. grandiflorum creeping comfrey S. ibericum (yellow) Sarcococca Hookerii Digna, ruscifolia Mahonias Phlomis Jerusalem sage Rosemary Sage Stachys lanata lambs ears Stachys olympicum Sedum specabile Brilliant, Autumn Joy Viola odora- blue , white, sweet Violet Viola rupesris V.minor vars

Damp Shade only

Alchemilla Mollis ladies mantle Clematis macropetala, alpina Pulmonaria Saccerata, rubra Lungwort Pleioblastis(low spreading bamboos) Phlox paniculata vars Digitalis purpurea foxglove Helleborus niger Christmas rose Hostas Most ferns Convallaria majalis lily of the valley Viola reevsiana, +alba dogviolet

Most garden plants are quite happy growing in light shade or out of direct sun . However Grey leaved plants are more prone to rotting off if the leaves or roots are permanently wet.

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