Some tall grasses might look good as the beds look quite narrow. Cornus /dogwood would be far too big for that space. Don't forget either that the new clematis will grow both sides of your trellis.
@Latimer, yes I'm afraid so. Most shrubs get quite wide as well as tall so you would forever be cutting them back. How deep are the beds?The clematis will grow towards the sun mostly so both sides of the trellis and will need some gentle tying in as it grows. Do you know which one you have.? Hopefully not a Montana as they are monsters!. Miscanthus are beautiful tall grasses, some with a pinkish hue such as 'Flamingo' and stand throughout the winter, only needing cutting down in early spring just as new growth starts.
I wonder if Euonymus might have the right 'look'? (The deciduous ones like planipes or alatus). Or maybe Viburnum plicatum 'Kilimanjaro'? It kind of looks like Phyllostachys nigra would complement the Liriope, but maybe that's a bit obvious (and you'd need to contain it somehow).
Perhaps it might look best with the shrubs in the large containers, and add some more perennials into the beds - Phomis russeliana would be a nice contrast but with the same 'natural' vibe.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
Not sure it is wide enough for shrubs. However, Coronilla Valentina Subsp. Glauca 'Citrina' is one shrub that might do fine in that type of spacing. The shrub can be wall trained, and still performs in semi shade.
Perennials, like Thalictrums, especially Splendide have interesting leaves and then tall flowering stems stand out in early to mid-summer. If you have the space, Selinum Wallichianum will add interest and height late into autumn.
@Lizzie27 they are narrow, perhaps a for and a half as for the clematis, at the far end is a koreana Brunette and and the near side is a Alpina Blue Dancer.
@Loxley I had Phyllostachys nigra earmarked for the 2 large metal planters. Maybe I'll move some of the liriope into the planter with it and free some space in the terrace for more perennials. I like the look of that viburnum.
@Borderline I think I am going to have to give up on the idea of shrubs. The Thalictrums look great!!
Thalictrum stems and seed heads last well through the winter as well, fading to a buff colour with an attractive shape A tall crocosmia such as Lucifer would give you good summer height and they will tolerate some shade- ours is in a north facing bed.
If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”—Marcus Tullius Cicero East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
Some camellias grow tall and narrow. They wont be narrow and small forever but it would be a while before they will be too big for space. If you grow any slow growing shrub that has tall and narrow habit and do careful pruning/training, you could have it for couple of years before they are too big. You can always replace it then. So many perennials also need replacing/dividing.
In my limited experience, many perennials dont last or look great beyond couple of years, dont have winter interest and need more care in terms of watering, slug/snail prevention.
Some annuals like zinnia, nicotiana are tall and have longer flowering period. Or tall dahlia with a stake. bulbs like Gladiolli give tall looks too.
A combination of climber, manageable evergreen shrubs, bulbs, annuals, perennials will provide year around interest.
Looks great! What about tall annuals that you could switch out every year.. verbascums, foxglove etc and underplant with spring and/or autumn flowering bulbs. Or maybe, depending on sun, something like agapanthus, Japanese anemone, Crocosmia or astrantia...
I have an embarrassing amount of crocosmias, about 10 different varieties I think! I currently have them mixed in with hesperanthas and panicum "Shenandoah". It was pretty but ultimately they didn't provide nearly enough foliage, hence the shrub spree. For the rearranging, I've also bought foxglove "Spice Island", achillia "Terracotta" and kniphofia "Tawny King". All of my lower growing plants are going to be put in pots/planters around the beds so in theory, you shouldn't be able to see much of the timber at all.
My raised beds are quite narrow (internal width approx 60cm) but they're open bottomed and 5.7m long. I have already resigned myself to the reality that the shrubs will need to be pruned on a very regular basis if this has any chance of working 😕
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Also, how much is the clematis going to come through? I have no idea with this sort of thing, makes it very hard to visualise.
I have grasses elsewhere in the garden, purple moor grass and Deschampsia cespitosa 'Goldtau' so could maybe look to introduce them down here
Miscanthus are beautiful tall grasses, some with a pinkish hue such as 'Flamingo' and stand throughout the winter, only needing cutting down in early spring just as new growth starts.
Perhaps it might look best with the shrubs in the large containers, and add some more perennials into the beds - Phomis russeliana would be a nice contrast but with the same 'natural' vibe.
Perennials, like Thalictrums, especially Splendide have interesting leaves and then tall flowering stems stand out in early to mid-summer. If you have the space, Selinum Wallichianum will add interest and height late into autumn.
@Loxley I had Phyllostachys nigra earmarked for the 2 large metal planters. Maybe I'll move some of the liriope into the planter with it and free some space in the terrace for more perennials. I like the look of that viburnum.
@Borderline I think I am going to have to give up on the idea of shrubs. The Thalictrums look great!!
A tall crocosmia such as Lucifer would give you good summer height and they will tolerate some shade- ours is in a north facing bed.
East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
In my limited experience, many perennials dont last or look great beyond couple of years, dont have winter interest and need more care in terms of watering, slug/snail prevention.
Some annuals like zinnia, nicotiana are tall and have longer flowering period. Or tall dahlia with a stake. bulbs like Gladiolli give tall looks too.
A combination of climber, manageable evergreen shrubs, bulbs, annuals, perennials will provide year around interest.
My raised beds are quite narrow (internal width approx 60cm) but they're open bottomed and 5.7m long. I have already resigned myself to the reality that the shrubs will need to be pruned on a very regular basis if this has any chance of working 😕