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Suggestions needed please!

zugeniezugenie Posts: 831
in Plants
I am after a plant for the spot marked with an orange scribble (see photos) I used to have a large grass there but the local cats took to sitting in it and squashed it so it looked rubbish and spread out way more than I wanted!





Ideally I'd like something about 1m tall 50cm wide, that doesn't die back in the winter. The soil is clay with compost mixed in, and is surprisingly well drained, it's in full sun from the east and south. Here is a photo of the border in the summer so you can get an idea of what will be around it.


Posts

  • Cambridgerose12Cambridgerose12 Posts: 1,134
    Hmmm... if it's 1m tall now, it won't be in a year or two once the shrub behind has spread out a bit... you might want to consider that aspect.

    Given that you don't want a grass, one option that springs to mind is that you could go for something which has winter interest but is not evergreen, and would be easy to dig up and transplant later when you need to. That is Phlomis russelliana--a perennial whose seed heads remain on the plant when dry and catch the frost. It is a very upright plant with yellow flowers and large leaves that would add some solidity to your bed.

    If you had a bit more space, or if you're planning to clip the shrub behind to keep it within bounds, another option might be a Phormium or Cordyline, but these will certainly get larger than the size you mention. However, they would give you an architectural focal point.
  • zugeniezugenie Posts: 831
    Cambridgerose12 said:
    Hmmm... if it's 1m tall now, it won't be in a year or two once the shrub behind has spread out a bit... you might want to consider that aspect.

    Given that you don't want a grass, one option that springs to mind is that you could go for something which has winter interest but is not evergreen, and would be easy to dig up and transplant later when you need to. That is Phlomis russelliana--a perennial whose seed heads remain on the plant when dry and catch the frost. It is a very upright plant with yellow flowers and large leaves that would add some solidity to your bed.

    If you had a bit more space, or if you're planning to clip the shrub behind to keep it within bounds, another option might be a Phormium or Cordyline, but these will certainly get larger than the size you mention. However, they would give you an architectural focal point.
    Hello, I don't want one that's 1m now, 1m ultimate height is what I'm after (or thereabouts) the ceanothus isn't as close as it looks in the photo, but I do prune it as needed usually to make some space for the helenium in front. Thank you for the suggestions but I don't think either of those would fit in with the rest of the border.
  • robairdmacraignilrobairdmacraignil Posts: 782
    Maybe pittosporum tom thumb might fit in that space. The leaf colour provides good contrast with other evergreen plants like ceanothus particularly in winter and it is meant to stay to about the size you have specified.
    https://www.youtube.com/user/sustainableveg/videos
  • zugeniezugenie Posts: 831
    robairdmacraignil said:
    Maybe pittosporum tom thumb might fit in that space. The leaf colour provides good contrast with other evergreen plants like ceanothus particularly in winter and it is meant to stay to about the size you have specified.
    That looks interesting, thank you!
  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    Other option could be a Cistus shrub, Rock Rose.
  • delskidelski Posts: 274
    edited March 2021
    I got a cistus alan fradd from morrisons £1.50 and it took a couple of years to get to 0.7m? So you might want to buy a larger more established one from a nursery if you choose that one.
    Looking at your border in the summer (looks lovely!) I would go for something which more golden foliage like a physocarpus which will get bigger than you want but you could easily prune to keep the size (possibly at the expense of flowers on the tallest branches). Same with choisya ternata.
    I got a £7.99 choisya from a nursery and it's barely 0.5m so although they get large, it will take a long time.
  • didywdidyw Posts: 3,573
    How about a hebe? You can find one that will only grow to 1m, is evergreen and has flowers that should fit in with your existing scheme (which looks lovely).  I found this: https://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/hebe-rosie/classid.2000041412/?affiliate=googleproductfeed&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhfy__ITO7wIVGIbVCh0FoQK6EAQYBCABEgKw4PD_BwE
    Gardening in East Suffolk on dry sandy soil.
  • zugeniezugenie Posts: 831
    Borderline said:
    Other option could be a Cistus shrub, Rock Rose.
    I hadn't realised those were evergreen, that's a good idea, thank you!
  • zugeniezugenie Posts: 831
    delski said:
    I got a cistus alan fradd from morrisons £1.50 and it took a couple of years to get to 0.7m? So you might want to buy a larger more established one from a nursery if you choose that one.
    Looking at your border in the summer (looks lovely!) I would go for something which more golden foliage like a physocarpus which will get bigger than you want but you could easily prune to keep the size (possibly at the expense of flowers on the tallest branches). Same with choisya ternata.
    I got a £7.99 choisya from a nursery and it's barely 0.5m so although they get large, it will take a long time.
    Thank you :) I like the look of the golden foliage, I think a physocarpus might be too big though, I know I could prune it but I'd worry about having to cut it back constantly. The choisya you suggested is pretty, I might see if I can find a smaller cultivar 
  • zugeniezugenie Posts: 831
    didyw said:
    How about a hebe? You can find one that will only grow to 1m, is evergreen and has flowers that should fit in with your existing scheme (which looks lovely).  I found this: https://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/hebe-rosie/classid.2000041412/?affiliate=googleproductfeed&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhfy__ITO7wIVGIbVCh0FoQK6EAQYBCABEgKw4PD_BwE
    That's a beautiful hebe! I hadn't considered one because hebe's I've had in the past have splayed out quite a lot and not looked great, I'll add it to the list :) Thank you!
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