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Suggestions please

Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
in Problem solving
We have a couple of Tall urns outside our front gate - so exposed to all weathers and passing traffic. I would like to use all year round robust plants that look good and attract bees, butterflies etc. What would you recommend?
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  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    That's quite a difficult one but how about Erigeron karvianskius (probably not spelt right but you probably know the plant I mean!) It's more or less evergreen here and I guess it's warmer in Guernsey overall. It has masses of flowers all summer - in fact mine are still in flower now - just and would trail quite prettily down the urns. 
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Trailing Rosemary is pretty. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I really like a large urn overflowing with sempervivums and sedums 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    I have just found this picture taken a couple of years ago, when the urns (2 of them) looked at their best, in fact I think they look lovely and so did our family and neighbours, although they didn't attract any passing bees or other insects on the wing. The evergreen shrub whose name escapes me blends well here, and although I have pruned it many times it is now very woody. Thanks for suggestions so far.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Goodness me that looks gorgeous 😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    I'm so envious, I very rarely get my pots looking so good as yours!
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    Thank you.  You are right it does look lovely, this picture was taken 2 or 3 years ago, when the shrub did look good, now it is woody, the pelogoniums are struggling too even though the plants are fed and watered at least once a week.  The shrub is far too woody so perhaps I need to prune it right down to a few inches so it can rejuvenate again. Although I would like to start again with sometime to attract wildlife.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Pellies are no good for wildlife, but yours do look great.
  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    Thanks Fire, they were at their best that first year, as were the other plants.  Now the urns are a jumble of stems, I will have to tackle them soon, once all the pellies have finished flowering. No wildlife is attracted to the urns, at least there are two May trees growing just inside the gate which attract wildlife - I guess I can't have everything.
  • InglezinhoInglezinho Posts: 568
    Wow. What a great idea! The biggest problem growing anything near a road is exhaust smut. It is not good for any plant I know! The best solution is spray the plants with a light detergent solution, this breaks down the oil - Fairy Liquid is OK - and then half an hour later hose it off. Good luck. It's also good for greenfly!
    Everyone likes butterflies. Nobody likes caterpillars.
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