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Plant and layout ideas for sloping bed?
Sonny4
Posts: 20
Hi everybody,
I was wondering if I could have some help designing/rejuvenating this very tired, weed filled bed. I hope the pictures are clear enough to see that:
I was wondering if I could have some help designing/rejuvenating this very tired, weed filled bed. I hope the pictures are clear enough to see that:
It's north facing
It has a medium downward slope
I planted three rhodedenreums early last year, and I do not think they are very happy at all
There are decorative rocks going down which I'd like to keep
It's a big space! So may require lots of plants, which I don't really have the budget for...
It's plagued by a ground cover weed thing. I've taken a photo of it, but there isn't too much of it atm, with it being spring and my weeding.
Ideally, I'd want this bed to be as colourful as possible, with varying heights. I'm open to ground cover plants. Honestly, I'm tempted to fill it all with coloured heather.
I also have a money saving element: I've got lots of spare hostas, astilbes and ferns which I'd like to use. I've bought a few hardy geraniums and forget me nots too. Most of them are very small though. So, should I plant sparingly and wait for them to grow, or should I plant them close together in order to suppress weeds?
Also, I need your help on layout... should the small plants be at the front, the bottom of the border (and the tall plants at the back)? Or, would small ferns etc look good between the rocks higher up?
It has a medium downward slope
I planted three rhodedenreums early last year, and I do not think they are very happy at all
There are decorative rocks going down which I'd like to keep
It's a big space! So may require lots of plants, which I don't really have the budget for...
It's plagued by a ground cover weed thing. I've taken a photo of it, but there isn't too much of it atm, with it being spring and my weeding.
Ideally, I'd want this bed to be as colourful as possible, with varying heights. I'm open to ground cover plants. Honestly, I'm tempted to fill it all with coloured heather.
I also have a money saving element: I've got lots of spare hostas, astilbes and ferns which I'd like to use. I've bought a few hardy geraniums and forget me nots too. Most of them are very small though. So, should I plant sparingly and wait for them to grow, or should I plant them close together in order to suppress weeds?
Also, I need your help on layout... should the small plants be at the front, the bottom of the border (and the tall plants at the back)? Or, would small ferns etc look good between the rocks higher up?
These are just my thoughts; I'm sure the gardening geniuses here will be able to recommend plants and layouts &c. that will blow my plans out of the water!!
Many thanks!
Many thanks!
0
Posts
I am no garden genius but thought that I would add my comment here. Your bed looks lovely. Just by weeding it and adding some some compost will tidy it up no end. Well it does when I do it! If you have lots of plants already I would suggest that you put them in the ground rather than just keeping them in pots. Maybe put the hostas at the lower end of the slope where the water would drain naturally. Ground cover geraniums will eventually form nice clumps or even small mounds depending on what you have. Allow them a bit of space to spread and maybe put some bark chippings down between them in the meantime? Maybe put some ericaceous compost round the base of your rhodos and only water them with rainwater?
Although I try to use the right plant for the right place there is always the possibility that they will be happy wherever you plant them. They can always be moved if not happy. Forget me nots will self seed around and if they get too much make sure you pull them up before they seed. Ajuga reptans (bugle) makes a nice ground cover plant with blue flowers and dark coloured leaves. I have it in a partially shady bed and it is very happy there.
Just tidy first and then go for it and just enjoy!
I added bark last year, and it looked really well; but it annoys me how quickly it needs redoing!