@JennyJ Please do recommend some lower level flowers for long flowering colour to plant in between. I just aimed for plants for the height and privacy with some colours, bees, butterflies, and birds.
I can add Hollyhocks, but one must never buy plug plants because a fungal disease called Rust comes with them -- the plug plants often come infected. One needs to sow them as seeds. The single flowers are glorious. It is the single flowers that attract bumble bees and butterflies; they can't get to the nectar in double flowers.
I mostly have things that come and go with the seasons for an ever-changing picture, but long-flowering front-of-border plants that do well for me include salvias (mostly the smaller shrubby ones like nachtvlinder, deep purple, cherry red, suncrest lemon, lara etc), penstemons, osteospermums, Scabious butterfly pink and butterfly blue, Erigeron karviskianus, Verbena Bampton, Teucrium Purple Tails. I have sandy well-drained soil and less rain than some parts of the UK, so what does well for me won't necessarily suit everyone. PS I'd be suspicious of that blue hollyhock. The picture looks as if it's been edited and there's no variety name given.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
That's ok @jessbee - it can be confusing, but it's important to know where the sun rises and falls and what other things can affect it [buildings, trees etc] before recommending plants. We don't want people to buy something that will fail because it's being planted in completely unsuitable conditions. Plants are expensive - unless you have deep pockets, and most of us have had to start with small plants, cuttings or seeds etc. You've also got lots of plants in pots, so have a think about those, and where they might fit in. If you need any help with an ID just take some pix of them too. Close ups, foliage etc. When you have young children, a good bit of grass is great. I waited until mine were a bit older before going too mad with any designs, because stuff gets damaged with footballs and swings and general mayhem! Keep it simple, with easy plants, and then you can add more as you go along. If there's a style you like , or colours etc, then it's easier to get a coherent look, but take your time before making big decisions. If you decide to make a larger border, now is a good time to start that, because it takes a while to lift the turf and get the soil in good shape for plants. That pays dividends. Turf upturned and stacked is also very useful for adding to beds/borders at a later date once it's broken down.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I agree with @JennyJ … that blue hollyhock has been ‘photoshopped’ … hollyhock seeds from Hongkong via Amazon should be enough to make anyone but the most inexperienced gardener suspicious. 😢
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
> I'd be suspicious of that blue hollyhock. The picture looks as if it's been edited and > there's no variety name given.
@JennyJ I bought the seeds because I have not seen blue hollyhocks before. I will sow them and see. The vendor looks okay from all the reviews he has got for all the other products he sells.
> I'd be suspicious of that blue hollyhock. The picture looks as if it's been edited and > there's no variety name given.
@JennyJ I bought the seeds because I have not seen blue hollyhocks before. I will sow them and see. The vendor looks okay from all the reviews he has got for all the other products he sells.
does he sell blue strawberries and rainbow roses and pink hostas? They're my favourites
> I'd be suspicious of that blue hollyhock. The picture looks as if it's been edited and > there's no variety name given.
@JennyJ I bought the seeds because I have not seen blue hollyhocks before. I will sow them and see. The vendor looks okay from all the reviews he has got for all the other products he sells.
I'd be very surprised if they turn out any closer to blue than a muddy lilac/mauve shade, but let us know when they flower, there's always something new to learn
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
> I'd be suspicious of that blue hollyhock. The picture looks as if it's been edited and > there's no variety name given.
@JennyJ I bought the seeds because I have not seen blue hollyhocks before. I will sow them and see. The vendor looks okay from all the reviews he has got for all the other products he sells.
I'd be very surprised if they turn out any closer to blue than a muddy lilac/mauve shade, but let us know when they flower, there's always something new to learn
Posts
I mostly have things that come and go with the seasons for an ever-changing picture, but long-flowering front-of-border plants that do well for me include salvias (mostly the smaller shrubby ones like nachtvlinder, deep purple, cherry red, suncrest lemon, lara etc), penstemons, osteospermums, Scabious butterfly pink and butterfly blue, Erigeron karviskianus, Verbena Bampton, Teucrium Purple Tails. I have sandy well-drained soil and less rain than some parts of the UK, so what does well for me won't necessarily suit everyone.
PS I'd be suspicious of that blue hollyhock. The picture looks as if it's been edited and there's no variety name given.
We don't want people to buy something that will fail because it's being planted in completely unsuitable conditions. Plants are expensive - unless you have deep pockets, and most of us have had to start with small plants, cuttings or seeds etc.
You've also got lots of plants in pots, so have a think about those, and where they might fit in. If you need any help with an ID just take some pix of them too. Close ups, foliage etc.
When you have young children, a good bit of grass is great. I waited until mine were a bit older before going too mad with any designs, because stuff gets damaged with footballs and swings and general mayhem! Keep it simple, with easy plants, and then you can add more as you go along. If there's a style you like , or colours etc, then it's easier to get a coherent look, but take your time before making big decisions.
If you decide to make a larger border, now is a good time to start that, because it takes a while to lift the turf and get the soil in good shape for plants. That pays dividends. Turf upturned and stacked is also very useful for adding to beds/borders at a later date once it's broken down.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
> there's no variety name given.
@JennyJ I bought the seeds because I have not seen blue hollyhocks before. I will sow them and see. The vendor looks okay from all the reviews he has got for all the other products he sells.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I'd be very surprised if they turn out any closer to blue than a muddy lilac/mauve shade, but let us know when they flower, there's always something new to learn