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front garden - got rid of the lawn, now what do i do?

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  • scotjamscotjam Posts: 4
    It's taken me a bit of time to go through all the feedback and do some research. So here it goes. Taking on all the great feedback, it does sound like wildflower on its own isn’t suitable for such a small and open space. So, I’ve looked at all the recommended plants and trying now to figure how many I would I need (spacing wise and cost wise) – still trying to keep this simple to do/manage and cost effective. And there’s a million variations so I’ve picked what seems to be readily available to buy online. Grass does look a lot cheaper 😊

    Structural plants?

    Evergreen
    1. Phormium 'Maori Queen' or ‘Maori Maiden’ – approx. £30 each 2ltr pot
    2. Parahebe perfoliate Digger's speedwell – approx. £12 per 9cm pot
    3. ERYNGIUM YUCCIFOLIUM button eryngo – approx. £10 per 9cm pot

    Shrubs?

    1. ?
    Perennials?
    1. Panicum virgatum Shenandoah or Panicum virgatum Northwind or Panicum virgatum Heavy Metal – approx. £13 each 2ltr pot
    2. Phlomis tuberosa (Jerusalem Sage) - £6 each 9cm pot
    3. Geranium pratense - £8 each 1ltr pot
    4. Hylotelephium 'Matrona' stonecrop - £18 each 2ltr
    5. Sanguisorba officinalis ‘Morning Select’ - £8 each 1ltr pot

    Can I still use Wildflowers seeds?

    1. https://www.pictorialmeadows.co.uk/product/native-meadow/
    2. OR https://www.scotiaseeds.co.uk/shop/get-nectar-rich-quick-mix/
    3. Or something else to fill the gaps between the plants? Bark?
    Is this enough variety? to fill 20m2?
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Your original vision was "a wild flower garden". I think you can still do that but choose your plants carefully, maybe steering away from grasses and towards perennials, with an eye to how it will be in winter. Give a thought to how much colour you want - is it important? And height. Would you be happy with all low growing plants - more like a flowering lawn or do you want variance?
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    Just my thoughts to add to your long list of things to think about.
    Evergreens.
    1 Just ensure that you go for a hardy form not all of them are.
    2 Parahebe Perfoliata you can create a ribbon effect with this plant. You can take cuttings and increase your stock.
    3 This is a beautiful sea holly it is tall not so good on a windy site maybe?

    1 Shrubs I grow Santolina Primrose Gem, prune back in spring but not into old wood. 
    You could also consider one of the small pines such as Pinus Low Glow.

    Perennials
    I Panicum Shenandoah would work with the phormium but needs weeks of summer heat to flower well. You could consider Calamagrostis Karl Foerster which stands well all winter.
    2 The Phlomis is lovely but I struggle to keep it .I grow P Russeliana which works with the Santolina but is not evergreen.
    3 Hardy Geraniums are a good choice ensure you buy for your aspect and conditions.
    4 Hylotelephium Matrona can be Chelsea chopped if you wish.
    5 Sanguisorbas need a fairly moist soil but worth considering if you can care for them if they do get dry.

    The last layer is the 'fillers'  Erigeron Karvinskianus, Erodium, Geranium sanguineum striatum, Sisyrinchium Biscutella and Heianthemum Henfield Brilliant could be considered.

    This is a big expense I would take all the advice and help you can get before you start.
    Buy the plants that form the structure first,  set them out in the garden these will give you your winter structure. Some of the plants may not be hardy where you are so do be aware of that.




    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • scotjam said:
    Hi all,

    A complete newbie here looking to advice. Goal? Having a front garden that's doesn't look like an eye soar, doesn't cost a lot, and doesn't take too much effort. Ideally something that's good for wildlife / environment. And I don't mind taking my time - this work started a over a year ago :)


    Personally I woudn't go the 'meadow' route - its more work than you'd imagine for little return IMHO. Meadow wildflowers look great...in meadows.

    To completely go against whats 'on trend' - how about conifers or dwarf conifers? They are so out of fashion it's untrue - but they'll come back - everything does.
    They're cheap to buy (on the whole), easy to look after, looks good IMO - especially in a gravel garden, evergreen in winter and small birds like Wrens & Sparrows like the dense foliage. You need a soil that's on the acidic side so test your soil pH if conifers appeal.  

  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    edited April 2022
    I've been working on a mix that provides a 'meadow-like' effect for front garden planting, without the need to mow and with an extended season of interested (all year, really). 

    Sesleria autumnalis is a really good foundation for this sort of planting, it's semi evergreen and robust but well behaved. It is also very quick to propagate from small pieces so you could work up large numbers of it quite quickly. You could slot all sorts of things into it but for this planting I have gone for:

    Density (per m² ): 7 (38cm ctrs)
    %age Species Root / Specification

    Notes
    35.0% Sesleria autumnalis 9cm

    Plant to fill remaining space after all other plants have been set out
    15.0% Libertia grandiflora 9cm
    Plant in groups of 3 - 5, well dispersed
    15.0% Luzula nivea 9cm

    Plant in groups of 3 - 5, well dispersed
    15.0% Anaphalis margaretacea 9cm

    Plant in groups of 3 - 5, well dispersed
    15.0% Eurybia divaricata 9cm
    Plant in groups of 3 - 5, well dispersed
    5.0% Verbascum chaixii 'Album' 9cm
    Plant singly, or in groups of 3, well dispersed throughout the planting bed
      Primula vulgaris 40cc plug

    Distribute in amongst the other plants in groups of 3 - 7
    100%

     
    Bulb Planting:
    50.0% Tulipa orphanidea ‘Whittallii’ Bulb  
    Plant in groups of 12-24 at 12/m²
    50.0% Allium atropurpureum Bulb  
    Plant in groups of 12-24 at 12/m²

     

    It looks good when you mix other grasses in amongst Sesleria. I have used Luzula because of the white spring flowers, but you could use Molinia 'Moorhexe' and Deschampsia 'Goldtau' as in this autumn scene at Hauser and Wirth, Somerset. It looks different in spring with the grasses much less dominant.
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    ... I agree with GardenerSuze's comment about the Calamagrostis and the Phlomis. Phlomis russeliana is an excellent plant with a year round presence. Calamagrostis is a superb grass, although stands very tall (1.5-1.8m). The filler plant suggestions are great too in fact I had Erigeron on my list until I decided to go for the Anaphalis.

    I'd avoid Phormiums, too big and unnatural IMO. I think the Eryngium yuccifolium would actually be quite good, it enjoys an open sunny site.

    If you need to have shrubs, maybe something like Euonymus alatus compactus?

    Panicum is nice but quite late to put on growth. Hylotelephium Matrona is a cracking plant, definitely put it on the shortlist!

    Persicaria amplexicaulis should probably be on the shortlist too, very nice for this sort of planting.

    Your prices are way too high. You don't want to be spending more than £5 per 9cm pot, preferably closer to £3! £5-7 is OK for 1L, and about £10 for 2L. Sometimes 2L can be good value, if you can split the pot into 3 or 4.



    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Great and highly useful posts @Loxley -  Thanks for that.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Lols of ideas for Scot. Lol

    In one of the area I grow in, I have gone for evergreen and semi-evergreen low cover - good for pollinators - very low maintenance (which was one of your reqs). Some examples:

    Campanula Mrs Resholt - evergreen
    Erigeron - evergreen in some areas


  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    An alternative Calamagrostis would be C. Overdam not so tall. Grasses and conifers are a lovely combination but not often used.. You could include this grass when you first start with your evergreens as part of the skeletal shape. I like to see taller plants in a small space it gives drama. You have some great ideas from @Loxley and @Fire. I have also found their thoughts useful for my garden. For me a garden should include all seasons. I hope this information is helpful to you and anyone else with similar plans. 
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    You wouldn't need to bother testing the soil if you wanted conifers. Not in the location you're in. Dig a hole and shove 'em in.   ;)
    The problem with tall grasses over winter in this neck of the woods, is that they get annihilated by wind and rain in autumn most years, so unless @scotjam is in a much more sheltered part of the central belt than me, they often look dreadful by the time winter arrives. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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