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Ideas for all types of plants

gavinfgavinf Posts: 7
in Garden design
Hello there.  As you can see from my pictures below, I've started out with a blank canvas and have now begun to get some interesting shapes to it. In my mind, I can see why type of plants I'd like in the bed but I've no knowledge of any types.
Some notes on the garden -
  • It is North facing with the left-hand side getting the most amount of sun per day.  The lower right side does not get any direct sun
  • The purple square is where I have planted a crab apple tree
In terms of design, I can see the peach circles representing some taller trees/shrubs and reducing in size down to the red then blue ones.  Eventually, I'll be putting in some bulbs but that's for another day.
Any ideas for plants are welcome, nothing too cumbersome as it's only a relatively small area but equally, enough to start to fill the space.

Thanks!

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Posts

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    I would think you'd soon need to widen the narrower parts of the left hand bed but it's a good start.

    Have a look at this article from the RHS - smaller shrubs for shade lower down.  Quite a few will flower in winter or spring so you'd need bulbs and perennials in between that flower in spring summer and later to continue the interest and also provide contrasting or complementing form.  
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • gavinfgavinf Posts: 7
    Obelixx said:
    I would think you'd soon need to widen the narrower parts of the left hand bed but it's a good start.

    Have a look at this article from the RHS - smaller shrubs for shade lower down.  Quite a few will flower in winter or spring so you'd need bulbs and perennials in between that flower in spring summer and later to continue the interest and also provide contrasting or complementing form.  
    Thanks for the reply. I'll look on the RHS site.  As for that bit down the left, yes I see what you mean. What I was trying to do is to have it wider towards the end in order to give it a greater sense of depth however this may well be at a cost of making some of it too narrow.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    The top of the grass doesn't look like 5.3 metres. Did I misunderstand?
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    It'll be fine while the shrubs are small but you may want to widen later rather than keep trimming the shrubs.   You can also use the search facility on the RHS site to select perennials and other plants to suit a particular aspect, soil or climate.   

    If you get very keen on plants and gardening and decide to join the RHS - for the cost of an annual magazine subscription - you'll have access to more answers on the website and also a monthly magazine, free access to RHS gardens and advisors and privileged access to their shows.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • gavinfgavinf Posts: 7
    Firefly∆ said:
    The top of the grass doesn't look like 5.3 metres. Did I misunderstand?
    Yep, it's definitely 5.3m all the way across, I just couldn't fit all of it into the picture when I was leaning out the window.
  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    Assuming the path goes down to a gate, I think I would turn the path into a curved one, running to the left in front of your new bed (and make the bed a little deeper as others have suggested) and then run a short tellis at right-angles to the right-hand-side fence and cover it with climbers to hide the view of the gate. You can then have another bed in front of the trellis giving you yet more planthing room - trust me, if you get into gardening you'll crave additional planting space!

    I'd also cover the fences with wires so that you can drape them with climbers. And speak to the neighbours and see what they plan, or can be persuaded, to do - you'll have an even nicer view from the window if the adjacent gardens are full of greenery too!
  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    Your plan looks like it's only for a garden that is growing to around 3 years old. I agree with others, the borders need to be more deeper. Depending on the plants and your soil, the growth is not to be underestimated. Is the patio area where the property situated? For a north facing garden, it's rare to be the area with the most amount of sun.
  • gavinfgavinf Posts: 7
    Borderline said:
    Your plan looks like it's only for a garden that is growing to around 3 years old. I agree with others, the borders need to be more deeper. Depending on the plants and your soil, the growth is not to be underestimated. Is the patio area where the property situated? For a north facing garden, it's rare to be the area with the most amount of sun.
    Thanks for the reply, looks like I'll be extending that border then!
    As for the patio, yes, it is right outside the property and in fact it gets very little sun, probably only in the early mornings to be honest.  The house doesn't extend all the way across the garden width so that left hand side where the border is gets some afternoon sun through the gap in houses.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    You might want to consider a small area at the end then for a table and chairs and BBQ so you can enjoy the sun when you have some.   You could erect a pergola or arbour to give you privacy from neighbours and then grow some climbing plants for colour and perfume.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • gavinfgavinf Posts: 7
    Thanks, that's part 2 of the project and is why I haven't extended the bed all the way down the left-hand side. That area will eventually be paved/covered in aggregate with either a lattice at the back or, as you say, an arbour.
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