Recommend me a 'gaps in bottom of hedge' filler

[Red Kite]

Advice from green fingered PHers, please.

My garden is bordered with a beech hedge, but I've noticed the gaps at the base are growing bigger. I'm looking for something to grow underneath to fill in.
Some other houses with same hedge have something green with a small crimson-ish flower thing on, that I like the look of. But don't know what it is, and they face South, whereas mine faces North.

Oh, and I guess it has to be inexpensive too, seeing as it has to stretch a fair distance.................

[BigLepton]

Concrete or barbed wire.

[cazzer]

[stackmonkey]

Geraniums should do the job.

[juice]

Well, someone had to do it.

[Zad]

Could that be Aubretia?





Tends to be a ground plant rather than a low bush though.

[Red Kite]

stackmonkey said:

Geraniums should do the job.

Won't they need more light and sun? What will they do in winter?

[Red Kite]

Zad, the Aubretia, or other carpeting type stuff would be too low. The thing with the red flowers seems taller, but it flows outwards, towards the road, and over the wall beneath the hedge, which looks ideal, if only I knew what it was and whether I could grow it.

[GingerWizard]

Lavender, with some californian wild poppies scattered in, I have this combo in my garden under a beech hedge, takes a while to fill in (upto two seasons) but does the job very well.

GW

[Red Kite]

GingerWizard said:

Lavender, with some californian wild poppies scattered in, I have this combo in my garden under a beech hedge, takes a while to fill in (upto two seasons) but does the job very well.

GW

That sounds nice. I'll get the gardening books out and read what it says about those, thanks. But, it will be quickest if I just ask you first - do these remain in winter, or die back completely?

[Codefaster]

GingerWizard said:

Lavender, with some californian wild poppies scattered in, I have this combo in my garden under a beech hedge, takes a while to fill in (upto two seasons) but does the job very well.

GW

+1 for lavender.

We've got some edging one of the lawns, it retains a good proportion of it's bulk during winter and is very good at surviving a mashing from the lawnmower.

[GingerWizard]

They are very hardy and remain all year round, they really bloom and grow (lavender that is) when the summer comes. The poppies are very wirey and have very delicate flowers (good from may through july) but are incredibly beautiful. They are both very good for your creepy crawlies too. Once estiblished you will need to cut the lavendert back to a box hedge shape once a year. the off cuts you can use for things from beer-cooking-relaxiation things (wife does that stuff! I make the beer!)


Fairly cheap too.....


GW

[Brown and Boris]

Hawththorn?

[Simpo Two]

Try periwinkle. It grows pretty much anywhere, happy in shade, has little blue flowers and spreads with runners. Grows to about 2 feet high.

[SPR2]

The geranium 'Cranesbill'is what you need, grows to about 6" high and makes good ground cover.Comes in pinks, purple and blues.
Hellibores and heathers are another suggestion.

[bimsb6]

225/50/17 should fit nicely

[richyb]

Not a lot of stuff grows under a well established hedge. What you could look into is the several thousand year art of hedge laying. Originally for making a hedge stock proof its the best way of keeping a very healthy, thick hedge that has the added benefit of being great for native wildlife.

[Red Kite]

Thanks guys, I will look at all these. And I don't suppose theres any need to stick with only one choice either, I guess. Could have a few yards of one thing and then another.

[Red Kite]

richyb said:

Not a lot of stuff grows under a well established hedge. What you could look into is the several thousand year art of hedge laying. Originally for making a hedge stock proof its the best way of keeping a very healthy, thick hedge that has the added benefit of being great for native wildlife.

Not my planting, or even in my control, the hedge. The Estate planted them all, and trims them - stomping over any plants you have and leaving all the loppings where they fall.

[SPR2]

How about planting daffodils, crocus, snowdrops and aconites later on ready for some early colour under the hedge next year.