TOPSOIL etc

piglet · Post by **piglet** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 1:52 pm

Challenge...garden is a beach and we need to plant some hedging for privacy and shelter

so was going to get some good quality...well fair quality..not sand topsoil so we can plant some hedging.

The idea is we are going to dig trenches...and put in a liner? of some description then fill with topsoil.

Well this is the plan does it sound feasible??

Lesley Jean · Post by **Lesley Jean** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 10:25 pm

Hi Piglet, sounds a good idea to me, also, if you have any stables near you or someone who has horses, why not ask if you could have a load of 'organic matter' it will do wonders for the plants and help to keep the moisture in the ground.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 10:48 pm

Hi Lesley

The stables are still there but unfortunately the horses are long gone. Just got to find some soil from somewhere

Piglet

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 12:12 am

I know the area and I have heard from the locals that they don´t need a topsoil for a kind of grass they know very well. Called Escalracho. As for edging I have heard that "malalaicas" take well the local soil. I find them quite nice, and smell great.

Gambrinus · Post by **Gambrinus** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 9:47 am

Hi Piglet,

Sugestion:
Dig a trench anywhere between 30 and 50 cms deep (depends on the size of the plants you buy) and about 110cms wide, fill with a mixture of soil and "estrume", plant a row of oleandros (try and get different colour blossoms) spaced about 70-100cm apart, water regularly for the first few months and then watch them explode into a sea of colours in May (may not work in the first year

). I find that oleandros, once they have rooted, are low maintenance and provide good shielding.

These materials are best bought at your local garden center - I use Sanipina in Lagoa

Have fun!
G.

piglet · Post by **piglet** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 11:20 am

Hi guys many thanks for your ideas.

Not sure of the type of plants you mention so will be off to the garden centres to look at, armed with the names.

I am sure I will recognise them, when I see them

Due to water shortages we have now, decided against grass and keep the garden more "natural" with paved areas and cacti and suculents many grow naturally in the wild without any care and attention and very little water. ALso going to have a large Petang/boules area as well this will keep us entertained and cut down on maintenance.

I have since located a garden centre, I think...near Odexice, the other side of Aljezur...amazing what you can find rooting around on the internet

Any further ideas keep them coming....there are others in VDT coping with sand gardens that may find them useful.

Tahnsks