North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[<dmnorton@royaloakfarmorchard.com>]

You might want to consider Rhododendron 'Ken Janek' (Rhododendron 
yakusimanum ' Ken Janek') It has bundant pink flowers and grows 3' by 5' in 
acid humus well-drained soils. It's one of the smaller rhododendron and we 
have several around our patio in our stone wall planter that surrounds 2 
sides of the patio in a rea that is 3' wide.  Also, if you have a basement 
in your house and the concrete planter has an open bottom, odds are might be 
a drain tile around your foundation that may be below and close to the 
planter that keeps it fairly drained.  How far are you from Rabbit Run 
Nursery?  (http://www.rabbitrunnursery.com/shrubs.htm) When I Googled the 
rhododendron, they came up.  Hope this helps!

Dennis Norton
Royal Oak Farm Orchard
http://www.royaloakfarmorchard.com
http://www.theorchardkeeper.blogspot.com
http://www.revivalhymn.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <list@ginda.us>
To: "NAFEX" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Saturday, March 17, 2007 9:53 AM
Subject: [NAFEX] Off topic - landscaping advice wanted


> Well, it's not completely off-topic, as it would be fun to get a  fruiting 
> plant. . .
>
> I have a sort of built-in concrete planter between the driveway, the 
> house, and the staircase to the front door.  It's 3' by 3' wide, and  at 
> least 4' deep - I doubt there's actually a "bottom" but there's  probably 
> not great dirt lower down, since there's foundation and  stuff under 
> there.  Right now it holds a large arborvita, which is  currently weighed 
> down with snow and bent over the staircase.   There's a matching arborvita 
> on the other side of the garage (at the  corner of the house) and a much 
> nicer one at the other corner of the  house.
>
> The arborvita that blocks the staircase has to go.  I am looking for  a 
> suitable replacement.  I might replace the one on the other side of  the 
> driveway at the same time, for symmetry.  Whatever I get needs to
>
> *thrive in zone 6, with the protection of the house
> *do okay in shade from nearby white oaks
> *stay no more than 3' wide when mature
> *be satisfied with the 3'x3' pot
> *be at least 4' tall.  Anything up to 15' or 20' could be okay, and a 
> mature height of 8'-10' is probably optimal
> *look nice year round
>
> The house faces south east, and white oaks don't cast deep shade, so 
> there's enough light for many plants (the arborvita is pretty happy,  and 
> I grow impatiens and yew and grass in slightly heavier shade  nearby.) 
> But maybe not enough light for fruit?    The soil is  probably somewhat 
> acid, this being New England, and is otherwise  pretty good.  Sort of 
> mixed loam and chunks of granite and rotting  oak leaves.  Actually, I 
> wonder if the proximity of the concrete  changes the pH of the soil?
>
> Ultimately, I suppose I'll go to some nearby nurseries and see what's 
> available, but I'd like some ideas of what I ought to look for.    I've 
> been experimenting with cold-hardy camellias, thinking that  might be fun, 
> but they aren't reliable enough for such a prominent  position.  I've also 
> considered an upright sort of blueberry - one  with red stems might be 
> nice in the winter, but they grow awfully  slowly, and I'm not sure 
> there's enough light there.
>
> Thanks,
> Ginda
>
> eastern Mass., zone 6, digging out slowly. . .