Despite it being summer Graham and I thought we’d get some planting done in our new paddock garden. There is a section at the top of the paddock which is usually damp, even through summer, as the run off from our septic system goes through this area. Consequently we need to plant things that didn’t mind having damp or wet feet. And Silver Birches don’t mind that at all.
Our garden designer had drawn up a circle for this planting but, because we have a pipe running through the top corner of this section leading to our rainwater tank for the paddock, we made it less of a circle.
We’ve always loved Silver Birches and the one type we’ve selected is Betula Pendula Alba. They are, by far, Melbourne’s most favourite tree. You see them in so many gardens and in streets as well. One of my favourite gardeners of all time, Edna Walling, also used these trees for garden designs. It is recommended to plant them as a specimen or in odd numbers. We’ve elected to plant 25 of them.
Here, we’ve planned where they will be planted, with around 1-1.5mtrs between each one. We’ve tried not to do straight lines but wasn’t always easy. We started with the perimeter first, and then inside to place each one.
A close up of the plantings. We’ve begun putting hellebore as underplantings and will be adding cyclamen, daffodils and also kniphofia over time, especially once the new trees have had a chance to grow and develop some shade.
This is the tallest one of the group. Hopefully this time next year it will be taller than me – and some of the others too. They are a fast growing tree and often grow an extra 6ft a year.
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