beating around the bushes (image heavy ID thread)

magicbastarder

we've bought a house from someone who admitted that the gardens (front and back) are a bit overplanted with shrubbery. we'll be taking out a lot, but since the number of shrubs i can identify can be counted on one hand, i'm worried about taking out plants which are particularly nice or unusual.
so, (at the risk of testing patience) if anyone can identify these for me, i'd be most grateful; worth pointing out that the previous owner had mentioned there was a distinct australian bias to the planting. a lot of them will be going (though i'll try to keep a good rootball if i can find a recipient!)

A


B


C


D


E


F


G


H


I


J


K


L


M


N


O

magicbastarder

P


Q


R


S


T


U


V


W


X


Y




Z

magicbastarder

1


2


3


4

padi89

1 & N Ilex (holly)
2 Viburnum Davidii (possibly)
Q Skimmia
R Mahonia
S Euonymus emerald and Green
T Viburnum Tinus

A & M Choisya ternata
B Sarcococca (Take a smell of the flowers now its really nice)
E Laurel

magicbastarder

yeah, we'd noticed a nice smell from the sarcococca. i had it in a previous house too, self seeded prolifically.

do you know if it's OK to cut back a bottlebrush plant to the stump? I've removed a large leylandii hedge which had swamped it, and it's all lopsided as a result. i was wondering if letting it grow back from the stump would work.

kylith

D - Eucalyptus
E - Bay/Laurel
P - Is it a shrub? The leaves look very like Deadnettle, but that would be groundcover rather than shrubbery.

magicbastarder

sorry yeah, it's groundcover, forgot to mention that.

kylith

Probably Deadnettle then. It should have little purple flowers in the next couple of months. Good little ground cover plant.

lottpaul

F - cornus
G - Brachyglottis
J - Pittosporum
K and Z -- Abelia
L - also a hebe I think
N - osmanthus
O - crinodendron hookerianum
V - Hypericum Hidcote
W - hebe - dont know which

looksee

K & Z Abelia
V St Johns wort
W Hebe
G Seneccio
J Pittisporum
I Escallonia

lottpaul

U - is bugging me -- I have it in the garden and cant remember what it is - will try to find the label

jezko

F: Variegated Portugal Laurel ?

U: I think is a Azalea / Rhododendron with lime-induced chlorosis

1 & N: Osmanthus heterophyllus

I & Y: escallonia

C: Osmanthus delavayi late spring scented white flowers !!! Seriously Keep it

s: Euonymus fortunei 'Emerald Gaiety'

e: Elaeagnus pungens maculata (But when the plant has reverted back to plain green)

4: pinus sylvestris ?

x: chamaecyparis ?????? a dwarf form?

lottpaul

jezko wrote: »

F: Variegated Portugal Laurel ?

I think you're right --

lottpaul

magicbastarder wrote: »

do you know if it's OK to cut back a bottlebrush plant to the stump? I've removed a large leylandii hedge which had swamped it, and it's all lopsided as a result. i was wondering if letting it grow back from the stump would work.

Any chance you could cut some and leave some foliage - maybe finish the job later if the pruned part regrows. I've never cut one back very hard - just a branch here and there - generally recovered but I couldnt say it seemed to benefit from it.


Agree 100% with jezko about C: Osmanthus delavayi - beautiful scent -- and hates being moved anyway.

Bixy

1 and N I could be Desfontania spinosa rather than Ilex (leaves opposite rather than alternate) and U looks a little like Skimmia japonica (male form) -

Bixy

I think "P" is Lamium galeobdolon - great ground cover in shade (but a bit over enthusiastic and may need to be pruned).Regarding your question about cutting back the bottlebrush. Yes in my experience they can be cut right back to a stump and will sprout back again very happily with the added advantage that the new "juvenile" foliage can be very attractive.

kylith

magicbastarder wrote: »

yeah, we'd noticed a nice smell from the sarcococca. i had it in a previous house too, self seeded prolifically.

do you know if it's OK to cut back a bottlebrush plant to the stump? I've removed a large leylandii hedge which had swamped it, and it's all lopsided as a result. i was wondering if letting it grow back from the stump would work.

According to this it should be fine.

http://www.gardenguides.com/70313-prune-bottle-brush-shrub.html

magicbastarder

cheers all; re the bottlebrush, here's what i mean:



the leylandii had taken a chunk 8 foot wide out of the garden and were swamping the bottlebrush and the fuschia beside it.

jezko

Bixy wrote: »

1 and N I could be Desfontania spinosa rather than Ilex (leaves opposite rather than alternate) -

I believe Desfontania spinosa is dark glossy leaves only... No Variation or any other cultivars
But OP if this is Desfontania spinosa you are very lucky to have not one but two!

Some Nice plants there.

Also are you sure you have a bottlebrush ? could be my eyes but reminds me of a broom Cytisus sp.?? above photo #18

magicbastarder

this is what i had thought was the bottlebrush:

jezko

magicbastarder wrote: »

this is what i had thought was the bottlebrush:

you are correct, it's my eyes ...old age!

magicbastarder

now i just need to decide what stays and what goes...