https://www.gardening-forums.com/forums/trees-shrubs-and-hedges.14/
My apartment building at an intersection in Brooklyn has a barren concrete lot that we want to improve. I've been adding raised planters over the years in an attempt to make it more hospitable and private. I'm looking for some suggestions on what to plant in new raised containers, with main goal of privacy and some wind screening, something very hardy cold/wind-tolerant. Ideally it would be something evergreen, but maybe would be okay if it's bare in the winter (since we only use the space from spring to fall).
We're not allowed to break up the concrete and plant in the soil, so everything has to be raised planters. I don't really know what I'm doing, but have found a few varieties that seem to survive over the past few years, but I want to get some suggestions for the next area of planting.
Some details about the location:
The climate is technically zone 6 but I think it's way more extreme conditions in winter and summer due to being in a container on an exposed concrete lot.
It's nearly full sun except for early morning, facing south-west.
There are unusually high winds here, it feels windy even on calm days, and during minor storms or windy days, the gusts can be strong enough to flip over our wooden picnic table.
The containers:
The new planter boxes will be 4ft x 2ft cedar, but I'm planning to use smaller containers inside of it, rather than filling entirely with dirt. This is because the planters need to be moveable. I'm thinking of using these burlap containers but open to other suggestions.
There's a hose connection nearby so I'm planning to set up some kind of automatic irrigation. (Never used this before but will figure it out).
I'd like to use fabric containers like this, but the box size limits diameter to about 24", and these are only 18" deep and 35 gallon - I feel like it would be better if it was deeper?
https://www.greenhousemegastore.com/products/root-pouch-brown-fabric-pot
Plants that I've tried in the past:
Skip Cherry Laurels - these are currently growing in the large planters in the middle of the space. (The planters are about 4ft tall x 2ft wide and full of soil.) I love how these look, how full they are, and how fast they grow. However the survival rate hasn't been perfect - sometimes a plant dies each winter due to extreme wind burn, even now that I wrap them in burlap. (Without the wrap many die.) The wrap is ugly and a lot of work to maintain with the winds. I'm trying to find something with similar appearance that could survive better in the winter without a wrap. Also I'm planning to use smaller planting containers rather than a full 4ft x 2ft full of soil so these would probably fare even worse in the new location.
Manhattan euonymus - replanted these from a suburban yard where they're 8ft tall and grow vigorously along a fence. They've been growing here for a few years, in small planters. They seem to survive better than the Laurels (none have ever died even though some get leaves that turn yellow/sickly over winter). Maybe it's just that their planters are too small, but it seems like they don't grow as fast or as full as the Laurels. And I'm also not clear if these stand up well on their own or if they're meant to have some kind of fence/support?
Arbovitae and other evergreens - I tried these initially thinking they would provide good privacy, in large pots, but these have never survived more than 2 years. Looking around the neighborhood it seems like they only survive in soil. Maybe they would do better with irrigation?
Vines - I have a wisteria that does well but I don't like how bare it gets most of the year. Have some English Ivy but it seems to grow very slowly. Haven't tried any others, but would be open to suggestions - I could include a trellis structure in the new planters for vines to grow on.
Bamboo - Have some of this planted in the large planter, seems to be doing well and has survived a winter (was wrapped). Doesn't seem ideal for privacy though since it doesn't make a very full screen in a narrow planter and it looks out-of-place in this NYC environment.
Grass - Somebody recommended tall sea grass, which would also provide privacy during winter as it goes brown/dormant. This seems like a good idea especially since the containers can't be large. Any specific varieties to recommend that would be very tall?
Japanese Spindle (Euonymus Japonicus) - This is growing in a community garden down the street and looks to be surviving well in the winters. But it's planted in very large raised containers and probably subject to a bit less wind and sun than my lot.
Thanks for any suggestions!!!
My apartment building at an intersection in Brooklyn has a barren concrete lot that we want to improve. I've been adding raised planters over the years in an attempt to make it more hospitable and private. I'm looking for some suggestions on what to plant in new raised containers, with main goal of privacy and some wind screening, something very hardy cold/wind-tolerant. Ideally it would be something evergreen, but maybe would be okay if it's bare in the winter (since we only use the space from spring to fall).
We're not allowed to break up the concrete and plant in the soil, so everything has to be raised planters. I don't really know what I'm doing, but have found a few varieties that seem to survive over the past few years, but I want to get some suggestions for the next area of planting.
Some details about the location:
The climate is technically zone 6 but I think it's way more extreme conditions in winter and summer due to being in a container on an exposed concrete lot.
It's nearly full sun except for early morning, facing south-west.
There are unusually high winds here, it feels windy even on calm days, and during minor storms or windy days, the gusts can be strong enough to flip over our wooden picnic table.
The containers:
The new planter boxes will be 4ft x 2ft cedar, but I'm planning to use smaller containers inside of it, rather than filling entirely with dirt. This is because the planters need to be moveable. I'm thinking of using these burlap containers but open to other suggestions.
There's a hose connection nearby so I'm planning to set up some kind of automatic irrigation. (Never used this before but will figure it out).
I'd like to use fabric containers like this, but the box size limits diameter to about 24", and these are only 18" deep and 35 gallon - I feel like it would be better if it was deeper?
https://www.greenhousemegastore.com/products/root-pouch-brown-fabric-pot
Plants that I've tried in the past:
Skip Cherry Laurels - these are currently growing in the large planters in the middle of the space. (The planters are about 4ft tall x 2ft wide and full of soil.) I love how these look, how full they are, and how fast they grow. However the survival rate hasn't been perfect - sometimes a plant dies each winter due to extreme wind burn, even now that I wrap them in burlap. (Without the wrap many die.) The wrap is ugly and a lot of work to maintain with the winds. I'm trying to find something with similar appearance that could survive better in the winter without a wrap. Also I'm planning to use smaller planting containers rather than a full 4ft x 2ft full of soil so these would probably fare even worse in the new location.
Manhattan euonymus - replanted these from a suburban yard where they're 8ft tall and grow vigorously along a fence. They've been growing here for a few years, in small planters. They seem to survive better than the Laurels (none have ever died even though some get leaves that turn yellow/sickly over winter). Maybe it's just that their planters are too small, but it seems like they don't grow as fast or as full as the Laurels. And I'm also not clear if these stand up well on their own or if they're meant to have some kind of fence/support?
Arbovitae and other evergreens - I tried these initially thinking they would provide good privacy, in large pots, but these have never survived more than 2 years. Looking around the neighborhood it seems like they only survive in soil. Maybe they would do better with irrigation?
Vines - I have a wisteria that does well but I don't like how bare it gets most of the year. Have some English Ivy but it seems to grow very slowly. Haven't tried any others, but would be open to suggestions - I could include a trellis structure in the new planters for vines to grow on.
Bamboo - Have some of this planted in the large planter, seems to be doing well and has survived a winter (was wrapped). Doesn't seem ideal for privacy though since it doesn't make a very full screen in a narrow planter and it looks out-of-place in this NYC environment.
Grass - Somebody recommended tall sea grass, which would also provide privacy during winter as it goes brown/dormant. This seems like a good idea especially since the containers can't be large. Any specific varieties to recommend that would be very tall?
Japanese Spindle (Euonymus Japonicus) - This is growing in a community garden down the street and looks to be surviving well in the winters. But it's planted in very large raised containers and probably subject to a bit less wind and sun than my lot.
Thanks for any suggestions!!!
