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Suggestions for this trough please....

MemetraderMemetrader Posts: 48
in Plants
I have acquired a plant trough approximately 1.2m long, 25cm wide and 15cm deep (image below).

Unfortunately, it can only be placed against a North facing wall and anything growing in it will never see the sun!

I am in East Sussex, what plants would you suggest that would make a great display throughout the year? If any  :)

Thank you.


Posts

  • Joyce21Joyce21 Posts: 15,489
    Heucheras will give leaf colour throughout the year. There are also trailing forms.
    SW Scotland
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    A variety of hostas?  Large variegated leaves would look lovely spilling over the edge.. and the purple flower spikes are beautiful.  
    Utah, USA.
  • hogweedhogweed Posts: 4,053
    I have Francoa living along my north facing wall. Lovely pink spikes in summer and evergreen-ish. 
    'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    I have a small trough on the north side of my house and it looked good all winter with Carex oshimensis Everest, a lime green Heuchera and a small white heather - until the neighbours sheep broke in and ate it. It looks a bit sad right now!
    Brown Carex such as Testacea look good with browny red or purple Heucheras. You can add seasonal interest with suitably coloured pansies or violas (match or contrast). And of course there are ferns that are evergreen and even some annuals for summer colour, such as a dwarf Nicotiana and Nemesia Blue Gem. I can vouch for this one, though I haven't tried other colours.
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    A lovely looking trough. I'd second the coloured heaucheras, combined perhaps with a small evergreen shrub with leaves to match your choice of heauchera colour. If you wanted to do seasonal changes, you could keep plants in pots inside the trough, cover them lightly with compost, and then pull them out and substitute with spring bulbs, seasonal bedding etc - the choice is yours. 
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    My begonias and shrubby fuchsias do well with no direct sun at all.  Blooming their socks off from July or so until the first frost in a shady side return.
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