A retaining wall runs the length of my back yard. It's about three feet high and 45 feet long. Behind it is about two-and-a-feet of horizontal space, then a standard-height chain-link fence. On the other side of the fence is a utility easement, and behind that is a railroad-tie retaining wall about four feet high that marks the back side of my neighbor's driveway and yard.
The easement is unsightly, and I'm not too keen about looking at a bunch of railroads ties, either. Until this weekend, I had a screen consisting of glossy abelias at ground level and cedars in the bed behind the retaining wall. My wife didn't like the abelias, and the drought this summer killed the cedars. So out both came.
I'm now exploring ideas for replacements for the bed behind the wall. The area is on the south side of the property and receives full sun to light shade from two trees in the easement. I'm considering some taller roses, specifically mutabilis.
Any thoughts? I'm open to suggestions, but my budget is rather tight, so I'm not looking for something large, expensive, or with necessarily an immediate impact.
Suggestions for elevated hedge (thinking Mutabilis rose)
Does it have to be the same thing the whole way? I think I would want to put in a few smaller trees/big shrubs, for some variety of looks but also especially for birds to perch. Maybe possumhaw, for color in the winter?
I'd probably do a mixed hedge, but mutabilis are great, too. You don't want anything that will flow over the retaining wall?
Good suggestion ~ a mixed hedge might be preferable unless the mutabilis is evergreen (?).
If it isn't, there would be no green at the most dreary times of year.
If a fence climber or a vine to drape over the wall would be desired, an evergreen spring bloomer that I like is the Confederate jasmine.
Have you considered Tea Olive? Osmanthus fragrans...it is evergreen, hardy in our climates and drought-tolerant when established, scent and small bloom about 7 months out of each year...I could go on and on...but I use it a lot now as a screening device in landscape designs...you would only need 8 for the 45' span...
And it smells wonderful! lol Great suggestion.
I smelled it out in the yard and took forever to figure out where it came from. What tiny blooms.
They are tiny...but as usual, Pod, you are right...the scent can permeate the entire garden...mine are starting to bloom now and they are overriding the chocolate daisy!
I don't want anything to flow down over the retaining wall, as there's a bed in front of it. The bed is where most of the attention in the yard will (or should be, I hope) focused.
I hadn't considered the idea of mixing things up. I just see a long space with a fence behind it and figure 8-10 of something attractive but not too showy will do the trick.
The reason I was thinking of mutabilis (or, perhaps, another 6'-8' rose is cost: I can get the roses for less than $10 each at Chamblee's, and on a bang-for-the-buck basis, that sounds pretty good to me.
I'd never heard of Tea Olive. I'll have to call around and see if any nurseries here have any.