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Tips on growing raspberries in front garden with tulips (yay or nay?)

HouseFinchHouseFinch Posts: 328
in Garden design
Planning on putting my raspberry plants in the front flower bed as it is the most contained area we have. I have moved out the annuals and perennials from the top side of the bed (Dianthus and Snapdragons), but tucked the daffodil and tulip bulbs along the inside edge. I am only half way done in the picture, as I want to have it prepped right up to the purple campanula. We will have three large bushes from this year, and plant three more next year. There will be some snapdragons already seeded in the soil which I'm sure will pop up next year, but is it ok to keep the daff and tulip bulbs along the edges of the raspberries? They are on the south side of where the bushes will go.

Posts

  • josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,530
    edited July 2019
    I don't see any reason why the bulbs and raspberries would interfere with each other.  But ripe raspberries might prove irresistible to passers-by!
  • HouseFinchHouseFinch Posts: 328
    I'm thinking it would be nice spring interest before the raspberries start to take over. We will have a fence along the road, and the raspberries are 10 feet from the sidewalk. Planned on them being a living fence along the driveway. I suspect birds will be the biggest culprit here. OH is planning on getting a very large dog, so that will probably deter any others.
  • cornellycornelly Posts: 970
    Raspberries not very decorative, in a front garden.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Tulips originate in Turkey and do best in light, well-drained soils and full sun.

    Raspberries are one of Scotland's best crops - cool, damp climate, rich soils.

    Not a good combination and yes, raspberries are not sufficiently attractive for a front garden and they will spread and passers-by will get the fruits. 
    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
  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    How are you planning to support them? IME all raspberries grow tall, lanky and flop everywhere if they are not either tied to wires or a frame (summer fruiting) or contained within a temporary open cage made of wire wrapped around stakes (like broadbeans).

    I have 4 canes of autumn fruiters which after 3 years completely fill an open cage 1m x 4m. They are cut to 10cm each winter and finish the year about 2m high.
    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • Green MagpieGreen Magpie Posts: 806
    Raspberries quickly put out suckers and spread, so your tulips will get lost among them. And as has been said, rasps need support with wires and stakes, and often netting to keep the birds off. They'll look really messy in a front bed, and they won't blend in with other plants. You might get away with a couple of currant or blueberry bushes, but even then you may need to protect the fruit from birds.
  • HouseFinchHouseFinch Posts: 328
    All good points...Will have to give it some more planning. Wouldn't want the bulbs to rot.
  • HouseFinchHouseFinch Posts: 328
    We are going to have a fence along the front which will hide most of the garden, and an existing pussy willow tree will cover the view of the bushes from the front where the fence and vehicles won't. The fence is going to be white, and the front gate red-to match the existing colours. I think I will suggest OH builds a white trellis for on top of the fence out front which we will grow red honeysuckle on. That will give some added privacy. The flower beds directly in front of the house will remain. I think I will shuffle the bulbs in to those beds. They were not very full in early spring, so it would do them some good.
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