Questions

I have a 6 foot wall that separates my back fence from the street I am looking to grow some climbing plants up the wall to cover it but the issue I have is at the base of the wall its very shallow until it hits cement. Therefore can you suggest any climbing plants that will grow in shallow depth ( 4 inches minimum) and if not climbing plants some other suggestions? The main issue is how shallow the depth is.

I have tried for a long time to grow Embothrium coccineum but can't seem to get it to take off. What are the optimum planting conditions and do I need to do anything specific to care for it? This shrub is simply spectacular when it flowers. I live in Mallow Cork on a fairly exposed aspect.

I would really appreciate it if you could tell me when is the best time to prune the trees in the photo and if you could tell me what species of tree they are?

What different trees can I plant on land in Achill island ?

Some years ago when I moved house, I didn't have sufficient protected space for my half hardy Fuchsia collection. So, I planted some of them out in the garden. Many survived the first few mildish winters, but only this specimen came through the savage winter of 2010 when my garden plummeted to an all-time record low of -17 degrees celcius with three weeks of permafrost. And just to confirm its hardiness it came through -10 the following year. It has been in the ground now for ten years and enjoys no more favourable microclimatic conditions than any of the other varieties that died. It makes a bush of 4-5 feet tall every summer with a light pruning in spring and is festooned with thousands of flowers from June to October. I can find no other hardy variety like it in the catalogues. Would commercial growers have an interest in it? It seems such a shame that I would be the only one to enjoy it.

I am trying to locate Coronilla Glauca or Valentina for my garden. Have tried a number of the major garden centres in Dublin and also Johnstown, Kill. Can you suggest where I could find one ?