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hello, we run a private childrens nursery and plan to turn our old sand pit 4x5m into a raised bed for small conifers and heathers with bulbs for added interest. We have ten bags of echanacias soil and would like to know if we should mix this with regular recycled compost or have solely echanacias?
any help, advice or indeed funding signposts would be very much appreciated. Lianne and rose @ bridges.
15 Sep, 2010
Answers
Conifers - Picea mariana 'Nana' (blue-gray, very slow growing dwarf), chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Minima Aurea' (dwarf, and a lovely gold, dense upright foliage), juniperus horizontalis 'Wiltonii' (prostrate, very low growing, silver-blue). Ericaceous soil, mixed with the other will be fine, and if you stick with heaths, such as Erica carnea and E. x darleyensis cultivars, which flower late autumn through winter, they'll be easier to grow anyway. Callunas (heathers) are more choosy, but they'll flower in late summer (like those in the New Forest). Phil J
15 Sep, 2010
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Not all heathers need ericaceous compost, guest. Did you check that the ones you have do?
I'm a little concerned about the small conifers. They have a nasty habit of becoming large ones! We have a member of the site called Bluespruce - if you look at his plant list on his page, you'll find some good dwarf conifers.
As to the bulbs, they should be fine in your compost. It wouldn't hurt to mix in some of the other compost you have.
Can't help with funding ideas, I'm afraid.
15 Sep, 2010