@Omori, thanks very much, just had a look but at £27 delivery to Spain for three 9cm plants think I will leave those for @edhelka! Edhelka, I regretted my multiple order with PB to justify postage, depends how desperate you are for that one rose...
Another smaller, front of border evergreen plant I thought of is the hardy plumbago, ceratostigma plumbaginoides, nice winter colour on the foliage too, if you like blue flowers. I can’t decide, blue is not really my colour.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
@Nollie, I've got that evergreen ceratostigma (inherited) and it 'creeps'. It's now embedded in my rough stone wall and I doubt I can rid of it. It also looks so horrible all through winter that I cut it down to the ground. The flowers are a good deep blue but fleeting and the leaves turn reddish in the cold.
Thanks for the warning @Lizzie27, that’s decided it then, creeping plants and roses not always a good combo. Ive just moved a rose and discovered the small Salvia Nachtvlinder cutting I planted 50cm away only a few months ago was invading the rose roots and sprouting in the middle of it! The CP does keep looking good here though, there is some for sale in the GC, but still, glad I wasn’t tempted.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
@Omori Thank you! I will have time to go through their offers later in the evening, I hope there is something left by the time I can order It looks like they have a good choice of other plants too. Another good plant for edging and spring flowers is creeping phlox. They have a good choice of these too.
@Nollie I had a Parahebe until this year. Unfortunately my chicken liked it too much and I never got to enjoy the flowers so gave it my neighbour.
I've been looking for something that doesn't grow too tall to hide the wooden edging of my raised bed. I'd thought of grasses too but having never grown any wasn't sure which would be best. I quite like the look of Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola'
For me, Hakonechloa has been establishing/spreading very slowly, I have it in two different places but not the impact I want from it, yet. I also tried Japanese blood grass and that was a complete failure - it spreads 5-10cm from the original stem and creates a new stem there, with bare soil in between. It spreads before bulking up/making a clump and I don't have the patience for that. I am happy with carex. I also had liriope but it died in a bad spot, very pretty though, and could be good in a semi-shaded spot under larger plants. My order from Farmyard Nurseries:
I would have snapped up that Parahebe Snow Clouds too... not quite sure what the difference is with Avalanche, perhaps more pink in the blotch at the centre, otherwise they look the same.. I do think nurseries undersell this plant, often limiting its bloom season to Spring, when in fact it flowers for best part of 8 or 9 months in flushes.. it also gives 100 percent take from cuttings inserted into the ground, anytime of year, even in winter.. I have about a dozen plants and they are all in full bloom right now.. ..this is just one that I inserted last Spring.. it will also grow well in light shade and does not need full sun.. @poppyfield64 ..I also have that Hakonechloa 'Aureola'.. this is it in summer, it flowers profusely in late summer and those flowers turn brown/buff in autumn... I keep a check on its growth as it's spreading, and can start to invade neighbours, but it's easily pulled out.. very useful for corners, shade or sun..
..2 of my best grasses with roses are Pennisetum orientale, and Achnatherum [Stipa] calamagrostis, as they both flower early, and last a long time into winter.. I have this Achnatherum all over the place, easily grown from seed, and it has purple/pink banding on the stems... also autumn colour.. [always windy here as you see]..
...s'pose I better put a photo of a rose.. ..hybrid musk roses bloom well in autumn... this is 'Cornelia'.. albeit taken 2 weeks ago but is still flowering quite well... 4 x 8 feet wide.. thornless...
Very interesting seeing all these underplantings. I have only first year small plants but encouraging how often what I have has been recommended. 2 roses have flowered after a long lull , Alexander and Ebb Tide
Posts
Another smaller, front of border evergreen plant I thought of is the hardy plumbago, ceratostigma plumbaginoides, nice winter colour on the foliage too, if you like blue flowers. I can’t decide, blue is not really my colour.
Another good plant for edging and spring flowers is creeping phlox. They have a good choice of these too.
I've been looking for something that doesn't grow too tall to hide the wooden edging of my raised bed. I'd thought of grasses too but having never grown any wasn't sure which would be best. I quite like the look of Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola'
I am happy with carex. I also had liriope but it died in a bad spot, very pretty though, and could be good in a semi-shaded spot under larger plants.
My order from Farmyard Nurseries:
I do think nurseries undersell this plant, often limiting its bloom season to Spring, when in fact it flowers for best part of 8 or 9 months in flushes.. it also gives 100 percent take from cuttings inserted into the ground, anytime of year, even in winter.. I have about a dozen plants and they are all in full bloom right now..
..this is just one that I inserted last Spring.. it will also grow well in light shade and does not need full sun..
@poppyfield64
..I also have that Hakonechloa 'Aureola'.. this is it in summer, it flowers profusely in late summer and those flowers turn brown/buff in autumn... I keep a check on its growth as it's spreading, and can start to invade neighbours, but it's easily pulled out.. very useful for corners, shade or sun..
..2 of my best grasses with roses are Pennisetum orientale, and Achnatherum [Stipa] calamagrostis, as they both flower early, and last a long time into winter..
I have this Achnatherum all over the place, easily grown from seed, and it has purple/pink banding on the stems... also autumn colour.. [always windy here as you see]..
..hybrid musk roses bloom well in autumn... this is 'Cornelia'.. albeit taken 2 weeks ago but is still flowering quite well... 4 x 8 feet wide.. thornless...