Looking for recommendations for privacy - NW Illinois Zone 5
Illini Fan
3 years ago
I had to clear out a tree line that had been neglected by the previous owners. It was overgrown and full of brush and a bunch of undesirables. I’m looking for some recommendations to add some privacy - whether it be filling the space between trees or adding something behind the trees, in front of the fence. Thanks!
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
3 years agoIllini Fan
3 years agoRelated Discussions
Planting out in NW Illinois?
Comments (7)I'm in zone 5, SW Wisconsin. I think they say it's best to wait until 5/15 because there have been freak cold snaps in late April, early May in the past. The majority of the time, we're done with all the frosty stuff by the end of April but every once in a while... Anyway, I only wait until May for things like Tomatoes and Peppers. They prefer the kind of warm weather we don't usually get until May and later anyway. It won't kill them if you transplant out in late April (unless there's a major frost) but they also won't grow much until the weather warms up a little more. I plant everything else (peas, beans, lettuce, broccoli, brussels sprouts, etc.) in late April and they seem perfectly happy. As long as we don't get a freak cold snap, they're fine. I play the odds so to speak...wagering that it won't be one of those years that we get a freak frost in May. Nine times out of ten, that bet will pay off where I am....See MoreNeed help filling landscaping gap in privacy screen, please! :) Zone 5
Comments (3)"... Goldspire Ginkgo, very columnar variety that is yellow in the fall and should mature to 14' - 16 tall and 5' - 6' wide." Oooh ... I don't think that's gonna happen. It will become much larger. Whenever size information comes from selling sources, it's 100% of the time going to be wrong. And they're stating a size after only a few years of growth, where the tree will not stop. Figure at least double size of whatever you're told. A fat clump of lilac in the tree form sounds like a great solution to the back right bed. You need some groundcover there, too. consider lily of the valley (so long as there's shade.) It does great there. Gotta be some Hosta somewhere, too. And daylilies in the sun. (From DeKalb originally.)...See Morewhen to plant new shrubs and transplant others NW Illinois, zone 5
Comments (4)Ideally one would move established plantings when they are dormant or just emerging. The time depends on the particular plant, and experts recommend FALL. Right now is a bad time to move daffodils. If they haven't already come up they will soon. Their roots are growing even if the tops haven't emerged. Nonetheless, if they can't stay where they are, it would be better to move them soonest. Before digging up any plant have a new site prepared. While dormant bulbs can be popped into any hole and covered over, already growing bulbs need more space. Dig a hole big enough to accommodate the existing bed and about 6" deep. Now dig up the bulbs you want to move being careful not to damage them with the spade. Discard any that get badly damaged. Keep the bulb clumps together and set them in the new planting hole, spreading any roots. Replace the soil over the bulbs and gently tamp it, then water in well. Use the same general directions in transplanting hostas. The size and depth of the new planting hole will be different, of course. Transplanting established broadleaf shrubs requires removing at least 1/3 of the existing top growth. It is best if the plant is still dormant. If the barberry is a deciduous species, remove 1/3 of the oldest branches to ground level. If it is an evergreen species, remove 1/3 of the overall growth. Now, this is the general guide to pruning barberry, but because you will lose some roots during digging you may need to remove 1/2 or more of existing growth to make up for the root loss. Barberry root systems are described as shallow but wide. You need to start the dig far enough away from the base to preserve feeder roots, then use shovels to cut deeper roots beneath the plant until you can pry it up with some soil, place it on a tarp and drag it to it's new site. Considering that many barberry species get quite large it may well be easier to just chop it down and remove the stump. All transplanted shrubs of any size will need extra care over the following year. Water whenever a dry spell occurs. Watch for insect damage and disease, because a transplanted shrub has been stressed and more likely to be subject to further damage....See MoreLooking for foundation planting ideas. NW Illinois Zone 5
Comments (0)Apologies for a somewhat duplicate post. Houzz will not let me edit or comment on a similar post I started. I’m looking for some ideas here. I’ve x’d out the Hostas that have been removed. What is in there now from left to right: Spirea, Hosta, azalea, a few boxwood directly in front of the house , a barberry between the windows and the rounded paved area contains a couple green yellow euonymus, Hostas and a dwarf yew. I’m thinking of moving the evergreen tree to the middle of the windows but am open to suggestions. I also got a couple Penny Mac hydrangeas and I’d love to incorporate at least one somewhere for some color. Where I’m torn is if I should keep low growing stuff from the windows in or add some height in the middle AND at the right side of the photo. Help!!...See More
mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
3 years agoIllini Fan
3 years agofrankielynnsie
3 years ago
Ann Meyers
3 years ago
cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
3 years ago
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