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Outdoor potplants that will spread horizontally

  • 02-05-2014 12:18pm
    #1
    Unrealistic
    Registered Users Posts: 1,292 ✭✭✭


    I'm trying to camouflage a septic tank in the middle of our back lawn. My idea is to create a rectangular enclosure around it with sleepers and then fill the rectangle with pot plants. That way I hope to get a more attractive feature while still allowing easy access to the inspection hatches. I was hoping to put in plants that will work well in large pots or containers but which will spread out horizontally rather than grow vertically so that it will give the impression of being a raised bed rather than a collection of separate pots. I'm on the west coast but a few kilometres inland. The area around the top of the tank gets a decent amount of sun but not the full effect because it is overshadowed by a neighbouring house for part of the afternoon.

    Any suggestions of plants to use would be greatly appreciated.


Comments

  • #2
    redser7
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,730 ✭✭✭redser7


    What about a bespoke bench around a potted tree, even an apple tree. To give you an idea ...

    https://www.google.com/search?site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=880&q=bench+around+tree&oq=bench+round+&gs_l=img.3.0.0i10i24.3010.4669.0.8046.12.12.0.0.0.0.99.554.12.12.0....0...1ac.1.42.img..0.12.551.RgNfnPJIpIw


  • #3
    looksee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,678 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    Ceanothus, cotoneaster horizontalis, I have a rather nice horizontally growing hydrangea, but I have no idea what it is called.


  • #4
    Unrealistic
    Registered Users Posts: 1,292 ✭✭✭Unrealistic


    redser7 wrote: »
    What about a bespoke bench around a potted tree, even an apple tree. To give you an idea ...
    Thanks but even a prettified septic tank is still a septic tank. It works as it should so it doesn't really smell very much but if you sit on top of it you'll definitely get a whiff.
    looksee wrote: »
    Ceanothus, cotoneaster horizontalis, I have a rather nice horizontally growing hydrangea, but I have no idea what it is called.
    Thanks. I'll see if I can find those locally.


  • #5
    Lobsterlady
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 453 ✭✭Lobsterlady


    I had the exact same dilemma. Ugly septic tank area. So this March I planted a privet around it, rectangular shape. I will be pruning back for the first year or two too get a good bushy base. Also our soil isn't the best and we are quite exposed. I believe privets are fairly hardy. Your sleeper idea sounds good, quite a bit of work to do that I'd imagine. You wouldn't want to plant trees too near it would you because of the roots. Planting bushes around it was the lazy way out for me. I may put some bedding plants in front of it once it is established.

    There are a few good tips on this site, specifically for gardens near the coast.
    http://www.seaside-gardening-tips.com/seaside-gardening.html


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