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I'm thinking to add some small trees for privacy this spring on an east-facing slope with crappy clay soil in Middle Tennessee.
At this point, I'm leaning most toward Foster #2 holly (or any of the other Ilex x attenuata cultivars - but I figure Foster would be the easiest one to find) and/or sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana). Any thoughts on these choices for the site as I've described it?
I was close to including the native cherry laurel (Prunus caroliniana) in my plans, but I feel like we're at the edge of its hardiness zone and since we've had a couple of harsh winters in a row with lows near zero degrees, I'm worried I'd have a lot of winter damage on the cherry laurels. I feel they're probably much nicer looking down in the Deep South or Coastal South. Anyone have personal experience with them in the inland Upper South that would challenge that assumption?
I'm thinking to add some small trees for privacy this spring on an east-facing slope with crappy clay soil in Middle Tennessee.
At this point, I'm leaning most toward Foster #2 holly (or any of the other Ilex x attenuata cultivars - but I figure Foster would be the easiest one to find) and/or sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana). Any thoughts on these choices for the site as I've described it?
I was close to including the native cherry laurel (Prunus caroliniana) in my plans, but I feel like we're at the edge of its hardiness zone and since we've had a couple of harsh winters in a row with lows near zero degrees, I'm worried I'd have a lot of winter damage on the cherry laurels. I feel they're probably much nicer looking down in the Deep South or Coastal South. Anyone have personal experience with them in the inland Upper South that would challenge that assumption?
Thanks for your thoughts.
Southern Ohio here, also crappy clay/shale "soil". Have a sweetbay magnolia - it's done well. Was tempted to get the new cultivar ("moonlight?" "moonglow") as its supposed to be more evergreen, but I haven't figured out yet where to put a 2nd one.
In Tennessee I would think with the milder winters that it would do even better than here.
@kinkytoes, I'm planning to hire a landscaper to install 5-7 ft tall specimens, so slow growth won't be a deal breaker.
I've had the soil tested once previously and it was essentially neutral pH as I recall.
@Briolat21, good to know that the sweetbay (swamp) magnolia performs well for you in southern Ohio! It sounds like yours goes deciduous? Does it hold onto its leaves until early winter? One reason I'm inclined toward the sweetbay is that I've heard it can tolerate heavy clay pretty well. Would you say it gives decent privacy/screening?
@kinkytoes, I'm planning to hire a landscaper to install 5-7 ft tall specimens, so slow growth won't be a deal breaker.
I've had the soil tested once previously and it was essentially neutral pH as I recall.
@Briolat21, good to know that the sweetbay (swamp) magnolia performs well for you in southern Ohio! It sounds like yours goes deciduous? Does it hold onto its leaves until early winter? One reason I'm inclined toward the sweetbay is that I've heard it can tolerate heavy clay pretty well. Would you say it gives decent privacy/screening?
I have it as more of a "specimen" (I like the branch structure of Magnolias). It does hold its leaves pretty late (late November, early December) compared with true deciduous, and sometimes one or two leaves survive the whole winter. With the leaf loss, I'm not sure how it would be for a privacy screen. It does smell heavenly, as do many of the magnolias.
If you don't use one as a privacy, consider it as a specimen (like us!) for the beautiful scent.
@Briolat21 - Thanks for the additional details on the sweetbay. I'm leaning toward getting one, but using it in a different area further from the house. I had a landscaper come by today and he warned me it can get quite large. Might work best - as you suggested - as a specimen plant.
@Wmsn4Life - Thanks for the suggestions. You're right, those are both solid performers in Middle TN. I don't want to be difficult (though I probably am), but I'm disinclined to use either one. I'd prefer to use natives and both (especially the Leylands) seem way overplanted to me. On the other hand, I recognize that they are used to so often because they are reliable and tough enough to withstand our clay soil, cold winter, hot summers, torrential spring rains, etc. etc.
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