Ok, so it's not an observatory, but it's mine...

[Bart]

I'm setting up an 'observapad' in the garden, which should give me 360* views. I need to plant it with an evergreen hedge to keep mostly the breeze off, and the odd bit of stray light. 

Its 12' x 12' and hope to plant soon with something about 4ft all the way around except for an entrance. Any green fingered peeps who can suggest something, was thinking about  laurel. 

Photo of the lightbridge to go in it, with eyepiece holder contraption attached, I know it's not a work of art.....

 

 

[JamesF]

By the looks of that tree near the house you're going to need something fairly substantial to keep the breeze off

James

[saac]

What about box hedge , easy to trim into shape. Or if you wan't something a wee bit taller then simply conifer again you can trim to form a hedge.  Nice simple set-up Bart, looks like you have some good views there and I suspect dark sky.

 

Jim

[Bart]

1 hour ago, JamesF said:

By the looks of that tree near the house you're going to need something fairly substantial to keep the breeze off

James

Yes, breeze is used as a euphamism?

 

Jim

As James has so politely pointed out, it can get a little 'blowy' so I was going to buy hedge reasonably tall, with a view to growing it to about 6ft and nicely knitted together. NELM about 5.6 so good enough. Not much I can do about it. Was out exploring Virgo recently and the transparency was excellent and got some nice new galaxies in the 'westerly' bit of Virgo that I hadn't been before, very happy with that. Hopefully the pad will be fully useable in another season or so. Mind you, last Friday when I was out last, there wasn't a puff in the air, it was that gentle. 

[psamathe]

15 hours ago, Bart said:

I'm setting up an 'observapad' in the garden, which should give me 360* views. I need to plant it with an evergreen hedge to keep mostly the breeze off, and the odd bit of stray light. 

Its 12' x 12' and hope to plant soon with something about 4ft all the way around except for an entrance. Any green fingered peeps who can suggest something, was thinking about  laurel. 

4' is quite low for a hedge (if I've interpreted your question properly).  And, though I'm no gardener, I'd guess laurel has large leaves and will need a lot of trimming to keep low/small.  Plus, I laurel is not one of my favourites.  Also, remember that laurel leaves contain Hydrogen Cyanide and some/many people suggest you need to be careful pruning (as the cut leaves can release Hydrogen Cyanide gas) and that you should not burn it (again Hydrogen Cyanide gas released in the smoke).  Some people are very careful, others consider such precautions OTT - I have no idea about the risks.

If you can find it I'd go for Holm Oak (which is normally grown as a tree but can be used for hedging).  Grows dense, small leaves, evergreen.

Or if you like hornbeam or beech - not evergreen but one mature does keep it's leaves over winter (dead leaves stay on the plant).  Or wild privet (evergreen, good screening) - and you might even attract some Privet Hawk moths (normally easiest to see the caterpillars on the privet and they are large and dramatic - whilst Google is probably not your friend it can help).

But, cheapest time to plant a hedge is autumn/winter (maybe into Feb) when you can buy bare root hedge plants very cheaply (and you need quite a lot for hedges).  Now is too late so only option is pot grown which is more work and more expensive.

I'd ask around at your garden centres (local ones) as what plants will thrive may depend on your soil (e.g. where I am I'm better planting hornbeam than beech due to the nature of my soil).  Also, although I'd definitely go for Holm Oak, not a lot of point if you can't get it at a sensible price (your local garden centre are unlikely to stock it but can get it but it then depends on the price they offer you).  I get my Holm Oaks to grow as trees from a local grower (10 miles away) and they are very low cost for what I get, but go to one of the national chains and I'd be needing a 2nd mortgage (e.g. last one I purchased for a tree (NOT hedging size) was a 4m high tree that took two of us to lift at a cost of £40, but a national chain would have wanted quite a few hundred £ for something similar - hedging is a different matter though).

Ian

[Starlight 1]

Well I have some  laurel coming on Thursday,  As I have lights on next to me all the time  After looking the laurel up on the net and it grow 16 ins to 2ft a year and will make 4m sound good, so with abit of triming back to bush it out will be nice in about 3 year.

[Bart]

Thanks Ian and Starlight1

i want it to get to 6ft so I am prepared to buy 4ft first off. I know I'm late and it'll be potted now. More work and more expensive, but I don't want it to be ready in a few years. I'd like to get them in now and maybe have it ready for next year, definitely the year after. I couldn't get out onto the garden to get the concrete down earlier due to the atrocious weather.

I considered beech as we have it around the garden but they don't keep the leaves for long enough. For the last few weeks they've shed the dead leaves and won't provide the cover, certainly for the early spring when I'd  like to be out there.  

I'll look at the Holm Oak definitely, and I'm guessing it'll be between  the laurel and it. 

Thanks again

Barry

[Starlight 1]

I put a photo in thusday I only puting 8 in to start with  but it may help just to how will look from day one.

[psamathe]

I have found how fast and how large plants grow can to a large extent depend on how you look after them.  Water them well in the 1st year and really feed them (normally with bone meal when planting and blood fish & bone subsequently (I do every month) and they grow big and fast.  But I'm no expert and check with your supplier.  If getting bone meal or blood fish and bone, shop arounf 'cos I gat messive buckets on the stuff for around £10.  People do say plant them dipping the roots in microrhizo something granules but that might just apply to bare root and even then I've never found any garden centre that sells the stuff so gawd knows where Monty Don get it from !

My neighbours planted a hedge same time as me and mine is now as tall as me and their's quite thin and pathetic (maybe waist height).  Similarly my parents and I each brought a dwarf buddleia at the same time.  Mine is now 3m heigh whilst theirs only 4'.  And I'm a useless gardener and they have a professional gardener look after their place!  Water well 1st year and keep feeding and you will dramatically reduce the time until it is what you are seeking.

(But check with supplier as you might just find the plants/species you buy hate being overfed or are allergic to bone meal or something)

Ian

[Bart]

Ian

thanks again, I know you're right, watering and feeding is key. I'll keep an eye on the feeding, the Irish east Cork weather will look after the watering unfortunately!!!

Barry

[Starlight 1]

not nowing the size I going to say 3 years just to get to 6ft

[Dave Lloyd]

Good enough!

[jetstream]

Great pad Barry! I did the same thing here, but a smaller one. They work VG.

[Beulah]

Nice work, Bart - doubles up as a nice seating area during the day...if it was my garden, I'd just plant clusters of shrubs with different foliage/colours and different heights and not make it look too regimented. If your soil is acid, a nice load of evergreen azaleas...pruned back as they can grow up to 5 ft!

I also have a starpad - it was one of the first things I did when I first moved in - priorities!!

 

[LukeSkywatcher]

Nice Bart. By the end of this summer i am hoping to have a whole patio area built in my back garden (along the whole back of house) which will offer me the widest views of the night sky from where i am.

I'll have good views north,east and west. I have pretty much no view south.

This year also, i am planning on planting mature "Red Robin" scrubs (3ft) in my front garden to hide an ugly dividing wall between me and a neighbour. Why should i foot the cost of a new wall and he pays nothing?. I decided to go for mature rather than saplings because my local postman just hops over the 2ft wall and if i plant small ones........he will trample them. 

Red Robins can grow quite high............i'll trim them and keep them at about 3ft.

[Bart]

Thanks Beulah and Paul. Don't know why I didn't do this earlier. No, definitely Beulah, I'll certainly soften it with some lower height shrubs/planting. And you're right, during the 'summer', we anticipate bbq-ing and hopefully generally sitting and exploiting whatever sunshine we're lucky enough to steal from Mother Nature. Really looking forward to it. If I could wave a magic wand, I'd have a 6ft hedge next week. Paul good luck with your job. 

Barry

[Beulah]

9 hours ago, Bart said:

Thanks Beulah and Paul. Don't know why I didn't do this earlier. No, definitely Beulah, I'll certainly soften it with some lower height shrubs/planting. And you're right, during the 'summer', we anticipate bbq-ing and hopefully generally sitting and exploiting whatever sunshine we're lucky enough to steal from Mother Nature. Really looking forward to it. If I could wave a magic wand, I'd have a 6ft hedge next week. Paul good luck with your job. 

Barry

Hahaha, yes, we all wish that - I planted 120 beech saplings a year ago and they are taking ages to grow!

Of course, our wishes could come true with buying larger trees...but I don't think the bank balance would like it!

I'll be interested in what you do plant; progress pics would be great.  

[Bart]

Absolutely, will do Beulah. Actually going to local nursery today to have a chat. 

[Stub Mandrel]

Hedge plants are ideal for windbreaks as because they let some wind through, they don't cause big eddies like a fence. The rule of thumb is you get shelter for eight times the height of the hedge.

[Bart]

All planted now. Hoping the warm and wet weather we're having will encourage it to grow like the hammers. Should be useable in a couple years!

[niallk]

Looking good! If they grow too much higher you won't be able to see Saturn for a couple of years Was on my knees the last night I was out

[SteveNickolls]

How about privet? Allow it to grow to the size you want and it's evergreen. Laurel can be affected by a host of ailments including downy mildew, scale insects etc. Laurel also looks untidy when cut with power tools.

Just my 2d worth :-)

Good luck with whatever you decide to go with.

Cheers,
Steve

[Bart]

Too late Steve, laurel it is?! Fingers crossed.....

Niall, hoping to get it to about 6ft, so low planetary or low anything observing will be done on side of house with reasonably low views. 

[psamathe]

On 19 July 2016 at 08:12, SteveNickolls said:

How about privet? Allow it to grow to the size you want and it's evergreen...

Cheers,
Steve

Plus you might get Privet Hawk Moth caterpillars - amazing and beautiful and dramatic (had them on my privet but never (yet) seen the adult moths).

Ian