What could we plant in the clay soil of our narrow London garden that will grow fairly quickly, provide year-round privacy and colour and scent in season?
Japanese loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) is perfect for warm London gardens. It’s evergreen, with large, handsome, corrugated leaves. White flowers in spring, which have a little sweet scent, are followed by round, yellow edible fruit. Once established, loquats are easy to maintain: just hack them back if they get too big.
Another option is Japanese pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira) – its flowers smell heavenly. Although it is often sold as a small shrub, it can be pruned into a small tree with clear stems. It has leathery leaves and flowers that open white and fade to yellow, appearing in late spring or early summer. It will do fine in your soil and loves a sheltered spot, in sun or partial shade. Its dark-green leaves look good with the acid colours of euphorbias, so you could try using Mediterranean spurge (Euphorbia characias subsp wulfenii), another big, fast-growing, leafy plant. Add grit to your soil for this one to thrive, and it will need your sunniest spot.
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