jennymisek
Full Member
Posts: 30
Joined: Sat Jul 02, 2005 2:12 pm
Location: zone 4 Central Wisconsin

Can you plant Lilacs by a retaining wall?

I guess this question is applicable to any larger tree or bush...but I have an area of my yard that is buit up by a four layer retaining wall and I am going to be planting a garden there.

Before I do so I thought I would check to see what people thought about the roots and the wall. Is it a bad thing for the tree or bushes to be planted in an area by a wall?

I would think it might not be that bad, as houses are built near much larger trees all of the time...but just wanted to ask!

Thanks for your help in advance,
Jennu

The Helpful Gardener
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Posts: 7491
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 9:17 pm
Location: Colchester, CT

As long as the wall is a fair distance away...

The soil directly by the wall will heat; good in winter; bad in summer...

Also you want to leave room for a decent root mass, but other than that it's fine...

HG

jennymisek
Full Member
Posts: 30
Joined: Sat Jul 02, 2005 2:12 pm
Location: zone 4 Central Wisconsin

What would one consider a fair distance away from a wall? 5-6'?

The Helpful Gardener
Mod
Posts: 7491
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 9:17 pm
Location: Colchester, CT

3 feet would be fine for a lilac; closer yet with perennials. Just consider the eventual mass of the plant and use that as a baseline...



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