Forum home Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Front Garden:; What plant? Do I Change?

2»

Posts

  • Your patch is not dissimilar to mine (new build). I would just say that whatever you put there, make sure it's tough as you're likely to get cats there! I've had a few delicate young things out the front and they've all been dug up 😡. I've got all these stupid bits of plastic out there at the moment to cover the vulnerable areas!
  • Your patch is not dissimilar to mine (new build). I would just say that whatever you put there, make sure it's tough as you're likely to get cats there! I've had a few delicate young things out the front and they've all been dug up 😡. I've got all these stupid bits of plastic out there at the moment to cover the vulnerable areas!
    Never thought about that, thanks. We've got a good community of cats here, in the back our dog does a good job of annoying them, but the front garden looks like it will be 'open season' for cats. 
    Trying to be the person my dog thinks I am! 

    Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    In that case, plant as much evergreen ground cover as you can - the jaggier the better.  :)
    Hopeless otherwise. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    Agree, add as much ground cover as you can, no bare soil  :)
  • KKsMumKKsMum Posts: 8
    Hiya
    Definitely cornus aka dogwood. Just a word of warning, your bed is hemmed in by drive, paths and house...so probably wont have much soil depth. You need to check the depth, as well as how much top soil there is before you hit subsoil....plus find out if a load of rubble is under there. Sorry, but you may or may not need to sort this out first or else nothing will grow successfully. Been there...done that etc. As they say...soil is more than half the battle!!
    Then if i were you, i would remove a couple of the dogwoods and plant them round the back. Whatever you put in here will need to be drought tolerant as it will dry up in summer. Have you considered Buddleja? They're as tough as can be and like the dogwood are very little maintenance (hard prune in winter). Viola's seem to flower all summer and live forever. Primroses for early colour? 
    Good luck.
  • AthelasAthelas Posts: 946
    edited January 2022
    Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Star’ makes a good evergreen ground cover — prickly, hardy and low maintenance
    Cambridgeshire, UK
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Athelas said:
    Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Star’ makes a good evergreen ground cover — prickly, hardy and low maintenance
    I agree - prostrate Junipers of any kind are very good ground cover and great deterrents.  :)
    Most aren't fussy re soil either, although you'd tend to think they'd need a more acidic medium. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • RobbersDaughterRobbersDaughter Posts: 16
    edited January 2022
    For changing colour interest and very low maintenance while still pollinator's friend, I'd suggest Hardy Geraniums. I have three different kinds and they've grown on me for their non fussy, pretty and grateful nature. Never had any pests on them either. They're early bloomers, around May here. I also have Borage (bees' favorite) which grows higher than the Geraniums so it's behind them, self seeding, fast grower and of course, a very interesting plant look-wise and parts can be used in food, cocktails. In the fall, I'd have Asters, for the bees.
Sign In or Register to comment.