Tallish and chunky might block the patio off? I love salvias, but so do the slugs, so I've given them up as a bad job here - that was short ones however. Do slugs eat big salvia shrubs?
Carmarthenshire (mild, wet, windy). Loam over shale, very slightly sloping, so free draining. Mildly acidic or neutral.
Bumbles can be as large or small as you wish (with pruning). I've seen it from about 2 ft to over a metre, as a full scale hedge. I've just moved these to this pace, so they are still settling in. The leaves have a good blackcurrant scent, which is nice to brush past. Bees love it too, which is nice to watch.
That's a nice little border, nothing off about it, just needs some preparation. I'm not young and I would find that quite easy, but I would advise to stick with just 3 types of plants. If you try to go with any more you will just get confused and your border will look a mess with something of this that and everything else. I don't think that's what you want.
My choice for 3 plants would be, for front row a low hedge of Lavender 'Hidcote', these can be bought cheaply as small plants.
Behind I would have maybe 5 plants of Sedum 'Autumn Joy' or 'Matrona'...
Behind these I would put maybe 5 plants of Penstemon, I like some of the Pensham series. I have found 'Plum Jerkum' and 'Westminster Belle' to be very tough. They took no notice of the past winter beast from the East...
None of these in my garden are troubled by slugs, and they are all drought tolerant. A clipping over once a year is about it..
You need to prepare the ground, that's the hardest part and only you know if you are up to that... it all needs digging out, and grit/ pea shingle incorporated.. Feeding is unnecessary...
Best of luck, I'm sure it will look great in time..
I can't agree with that raisingirl, sorry... my garden is very exposed to wind, I live in gale prone Fenland, and I have all sorts of Lavender in full exposure... I actually think it's ideal for dry windswept sites... open Norfolk has lots of Lavender fields..
It might take a few more goes to find something that will work for you. Emerion. I don't have high wind. So not not quite sure how ground cover roses or low salvia would react. But perhaps worth finding out. Perhaps a wicker panel or two, in the right place, might offer a little protection at first.
I can't agree with that raisingirl, sorry... my garden is very exposed to wind, I live in gale prone Fenland, and I have all sorts of Lavender in full exposure... I actually think it's ideal for dry windswept sites... open Norfolk has lots of Lavender fields..
Perhaps it's the combination of wind and rain then. They break and burn here.
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
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I'm not young and I would find that quite easy, but I would advise to stick with just 3 types of plants. If you try to go with any more you will just get confused and your border will look a mess with something of this that and everything else. I don't think that's what you want.
My choice for 3 plants would be, for front row a low hedge of Lavender 'Hidcote', these can be bought cheaply as small plants.
Behind I would have maybe 5 plants of Sedum 'Autumn Joy' or 'Matrona'...
Behind these I would put maybe 5 plants of Penstemon, I like some of the Pensham series. I have found 'Plum Jerkum' and 'Westminster Belle' to be very tough. They took no notice of the past winter beast from the East...
None of these in my garden are troubled by slugs, and they are all drought tolerant. A clipping over once a year is about it..
You need to prepare the ground, that's the hardest part and only you know if you are up to that... it all needs digging out, and grit/ pea shingle incorporated.. Feeding is unnecessary...
Best of luck, I'm sure it will look great in time..
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”