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Planting Advice for side of house

LoupenLoupen Posts: 29
in Garden design
Good morning all, I’m looking for some advice on what to plant down the side of my house.I have two large planters which I normally plant up every year as nothing seems to last there.. I have a couple of honeysuckle in the planters which I planted a couple of years ago, these are in a very sorry state, they come back this year with white mould, and lost most of their leaves. one of the planters gets a bit of midday sun but the other doesn’t get any sun at all and the decking goes green in the winter. I have Recently got some Azaleas, rhododendrons and Hydrangeas in a sale and would like to know whether these would be suitable to plant in the planters, and would have a chance of surviving. I would like to plant something  flowery and nice to look at as my kitchen window looks out onto the planters.  I also have a couple of small wall planters on the wall.I would like to plant something that comes back year after year and won’t take a lot of looking after.At the moment I have got the plants I bought in their pots waiting to be planted but don’t want to waste them if they will die there.Would love to get this area sorted once and for all. Any advice would be gratefully received , thanks in advance
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Posts

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    Hostas
    Devon.
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    If you fill the planters with something like John Innes Ericaceous Compost I think your Azaleas and Rhododendrons will be fine, and it should suit the Hydrangea too. Ensure there's good drainage to the containers, a couple of inches of stone chippings to the bottom (not limestone!) with a permeable membrane over the top could help but make sure there's an outlet for the water to leak away. Give the containers a good mulch, I would go with stone chippings (not limestone!) to help conserve water. Check for vine weevil and treat with nematodes if found.
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    Basically l agree with what Loxley says, give them some good preparation and they should be fine  :)
    As regards the wall planters, ferns maybe, or miniature hostas.
    Have a look here, see if it gives you any ideas (l have no connection to the nursery).
    https://www.bowdenhostas.com/categories/Hostas/Hostas-by-Size/Miniature/
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    It might be worth trying Trachelospermum jasminioides on the trellises, I'm finding it copes with shade surprisingly well. I would plant small specimens which you can find fairly cheaply. I planted one in a very shady spot and it has taken off really well.
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • LoupenLoupen Posts: 29
    Thanks Loxley, I,m going to be busy this weekend then. I love jasmine but never thought it would grow there as no sun on one planter. The planters get very wet in winter so I think you’re right in that they need more drainage.
    This may be silly question to you gardeners but what do vine weevil look like? I’m a bit of an amateur Gardener really as I just plant things and hope they grow more or less- when it comes to plant health & problems I haven’t got a clue.

    I must admit I’m not a fan of hostas AnniD and hostafan , had some before In the planters which were just completely  eaten within 2 days by the slugs and snails , that area seems to be inuandated with them. Seems they hide under the decking and I don’t really want to use slug killer. I do go out in the evenings and pick them off and throw in bin but they don’t seem to be reducing in numbers at all, they are still there next night, I can hear them munching at my plants, my partner thinks I’m obsessed and imagining it but I can her them when it’s quiet😀

    Are ferns so appealing to slugs and snails?
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    Don't think ferns are very appealing to slugs  and snails. I haven't grown that many as my garden's too sunny, but they were never attacked. I gave one to my next door neighbour whose garden is much shadier and it's doing really well, no sign of damage. 
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    They'll go for soft young seedlings but that's all.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    Vine weevil grubs
    See the source image
    Adults
    See the source image
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I don't think those are big enough for most rhodos/azaleas to be in long term, although you can get dwarf azaleas which would be ok. Hydrangeas would need 'managing' too, as they want to be huge. Pieris would be better. Plenty of varieties, and won't outgrow their space so readily. Another good shrub would be Osmanthus burkwoodii. It's more than happy in a shady spot, and has small scented creamy white flowers in late winter/spring. 
    Compost on it's own is no use for shrubs - you need a soil based medium, with some compost added. They also need drainage, so mix grit or pea gravel through the mixture to avoid a sump at the bottom. Unless the beds are open to the ground below rather than sitting on the deck? That would make it easier for shrubs to thrive. 
    I'd go for some clematis, as you already have trellis for support. There are loads of types which are perfectly happy in shady spaces, and there would be plenty of room for their roots in those raised beds. If you choose Group 1 or 2 varieties, they need very little care once they're mature and trained in, but avoid montanas. 
    You can add a run of low growing cover like hardy geraniums, hellebores, brunnera, ferns  and heucheras, with bulbs for additional interest, and a few verticals like Polemonium [Jacob's ladder] which will be happy with very little sun.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    I think @Fairygirl choices would be excellent, bringing good colour and coping well with the shade.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
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