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Hi
Im looking at putting Lilly Pillys across the fence or at least close to the deck to help block a bit of rain as well as hide that fence.
The issue is that to get the Lilly Pilly to grow to approx 2-3 meters and thickness (in a pot or planter) I need a deep and wide pot so not to fall over.
Ive attached a picture where I scribbled in red where Id like the Lilly Pilly to go. They can vary in height as I want one closest to house to be higher to block a bit of rain coming in on angle. The rest dont have to be Lilly pillys. Can be some other plants (in pots or planters) to cover it. But The issue is that the distance between the deck and the fence is not large and Im thinking 900mm is the max I have to play with as so any work on deck is not hindered.
Because the house is on a slanting street you can see a retaining wall etc and see Ive had to cut into dirt to make it flat. Plus, Im trying to make sure the deck doesnt sit in wet dirt.
This is the red I used to convey that one tree needs to be higher to block out rain a bit
Also, the side looks like this with 900mm to the fence
this is the state of the area
Hi @tombot1974,
To make the best use of the space and ensure that your Lilly Pillys and other plants thrive, a raised garden bed might be an ideal solution. Since you’re dealing with a sloping street and a retaining wall, it would be practical to incorporate the wall into the design or remove it and use the raised bed itself as a new retaining structure. Constructing the bed from sleepers would allow you to create a solid and attractive retaining wall while providing the necessary depth and width for the plants to grow effectively without being at risk of toppling over.
Tiering the bed gives you flexibility with plant heights, allowing the plant nearest the house to be higher, which is useful for blocking rain as you've indicated. It also helps with creating depth for the root systems, allowing for better drainage and healthier plants.
In terms of plant selection, Lilly Pillys are excellent for screening and will work well as the primary plant in your raised bed, but you could also mix in other native foliage such as Bottlebrush or Westringia for variety and to fill in the space where you don’t need as much height. Using a mix of natives will create a dynamic, layered look while providing the coverage you need.
If you’re concerned about keeping the deck dry and preventing water from pooling, be sure to use adequate drainage in the raised bed to direct water away from the deck. You can achieve this by installing draincoil at the base of the bed and ensuring the bed itself is well-drained, using materials like gravel beneath the soil.
This raised garden bed will not only solve the issue of plant stability but also help you manage the levels of your yard while providing a beautiful, natural screen.
I've created a rendering below to illustrate. Here's a helpful step-by-step guide: How to build a raised garden bed.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
I can’t decide if I should plant a Lilly Pilly this close to the deck. I want the Lilly pilly to block some of the rain coming in to the side but worried about roots. I hear some Lilly Pillys can grow past 4m. I only have a 1m distance between the fence and the deck and as you can see there is a retaining wall there as well.
looked at pots and planter boxes as well but that has its own issues with being big enough or deep enough to hold Lilly’s pilly. Any advice?
this is the deck and fence.
The large red bit is where I’d ideally like the tree to grow and just stop some side rain coming in
And this is looking over the deck into the 1m width area with retaining wall
Thank for that.. I worked out that I’d probably need a plant and possibly one of the ones you suggested to a height of about 2.7metres. That’s going to be in a pot or planter box as you suggested. So, would a Lilly Pilly go to that height/thickness or better off using the one you suggested that needs less dense roots and perhaps not as deep/wide pot/planter box?
Hi @tombot1974 I agree with the feedback and recommendations by @JacobZ in particular the choice of using Virburnums. Once established they are fast growing and very easy to manage their height and width. Mine are due for a trim. I have them growing along a fence line in-between Magnolias.
Nailbag
Hi @tombot1974,
Putting them in planters or a raised garden bed similar to the one I suggested would be a great idea. That will prevent their roots from reaching the retaining wall.
Mitchell
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