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Front garden ideas

lauraharnaszaPRV3NIDlauraharnaszaPRV3NID Posts: 5
in Garden design
Recently removed our old hedge along the frontage to our front garden. The front garden slopes and there is a hedge to the left with our neighbour and a garden wall to the neighbour on the right.
Had quotes for a garden wall but too expensive for us. Are there any planting options that would be good? Especially if low maintenance.
Thanks, Laura 
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  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    How tall are you looking for your plants to grow? Also, what is the front garden orientation and soil type? Will help with good recommendations. Most shrubs will need an annual prune to maintain size and shape, so I would class that as low maintenance.

    Maybe post a photo of the area/space.
  • lauraharnaszaPRV3NIDlauraharnaszaPRV3NID Posts: 5

  • lauraharnaszaPRV3NIDlauraharnaszaPRV3NID Posts: 5
    The front garden is north east facing. The soil is chalk and we live near a protected chalk grassland area. 
    Open to the idea of shrubs and would be grateful of any suggestions. Ideally no more than 1-1.5m in height.
    Thank you in advance! 
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    How about railway sleepers - the new lightweight ones? They would need to be properly secured but would help to retain that bank, otherwise you are likely to get soil/stones constantly slipping down onto the path. You could then infill the gap behind and plant small shrubs there.  
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    Some sort of low growing juniper?  Annual or twice annual prune along the edges to keep it from growing over the sidewalk or lawn, but no pruning the tops.  They look lovely with an under planting of spring bulbs like daffodils.. they grow up through the branches each spring for a bit of color.. then the yellowing foliage can be tucked under the branches when it becomes unsightly.  
    Utah, USA.
  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    I wonder what shrub you removed and why. I can picture a low spreading Cotoneaster, they are great for sloping areas like that. The other option is to grow a low creeping ground cover to hold the soil in place. Vinca Minor and Bergenia Cordifolia are good plants for this.

    Along the edge to form your boundary, you could try growing Brachyglottis Greyi. An easy shrub that can easily respond to yearly pruning. It has silvery foliage and can add some brightness against green tones. It is evergreen too.
  • lauraharnaszaPRV3NIDlauraharnaszaPRV3NID Posts: 5
    Thanks for your replies.
    Some nearby neighbours have grass all the way to the boundary edge. If we reduced the gradient of the slope shown on the left, would this work?
    So far, even railway sleepers are being quoted at high costs.

  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    The slope is tricky for seeding, but you could turf it (well pegged in place!) and then strim it. Best done in autumn so the turf has all winter to 'take'. You can buy wildflower turf ready-grown these days, which would work well, or you could insert wildflower plugs or 9cm pots into regular turf, if you wanted a 'flowering lawn' effect.
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    I'm sure my 'railway sleepers' were only about £25 each from a wood merchant. They weren't the big heavy ones but had been treated. Reasonably easy to lay given some 'muscle' so you could think about doing it yourself. Probably plenty YouTube videos out there to show you how.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • lauraharnaszaPRV3NIDlauraharnaszaPRV3NID Posts: 5
    Thanks for your comments. We're the railway sleeps easy to assemble and did you need any tools?

    In terms of laying turf on the slope, what do you mean by pegging?
    Many thanks, Laura 
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