Sectioned off flower bed within the flower border to focus on first.
Close up.
The apricot rose in the middle doesn’t look right. Will move it this winter.
Plants all have to endure the occasional football attack
My attempt at creating a “hot bed” with roses. All the red and pinks are in this corner.
Sleeping under his favourite yellow rose
Note:
I have moved some of the perennials according to colour to the smaller flower beds. Hopefully they will survive. Got to remember to take more photos next time!
almost a year on, the my little project is finally starting to lovely.
Stepping stones defining various sections.
Roses coming to life for the first time in 2022. Had to transplant quite a few of them as I had to guess what they were from bare root.
Rose companions were planted.
Last week after six months absence
Today!
Despite abundance of well intended advice on ever greens as structure I wasn’t able to plant any. The place looked dreary and dead during the winter months.
Now I am back seeking more advice on how and what evergreens to plant!
This had been such a daunting task initially. I am tremendously pleased I stuck with it. Looking forward to August when this flower bed goes in full bloom.
Despite abundance of well intended advice on ever greens as structure I wasn’t able to plant any. The place looked dreary and dead during the winter months.
Now I am back seeking more advice on how and what evergreens to plant!
Looking forward to your ideas!!
Thank you C
Wow, what a transformation! You've done really well, lots of hard work, you are developing a lovely garden. I know you are aiming for a cottage garden look, but have you considered using some ornamental grasses? They will certainly give you some vertical presence, greenery and winter interest. I recommend looking at Knoll Gardens' website, particularly their gallery images for some ideas: Knoll Gardens | Ornamental Grasses and Flowering Perennials.
I am beginning to appreciate the grasses nowadays but still know very little about them. Especially how to plant grasses so it looks deliberate as opposed to accidental.
What kind of evergreen would you plant with the peonies? I have twenty peonies along the wall but it looks pretty empty in the winter.
Maybe five/six euphorbia along the wall coupled with another five evergreen bush that’s naturally rounded (Rosemary?)
spring interest Forget me nots and some purple tulips in the spring. Peonies of course
summer -autumn dahlias grown from seeds such as bishops children. To be replenished annually
Winter euphorbia and Rosemary bushes left. All rounded shape at equal intervals.
I tend to plant grasses as points on a deliberate shape like an extended S, L or C, others call these drifts, or a square or triangle.
I like your choices of evergreens, Euphorbias are one of my favourite plants. Rosemary will also grow well if your site is sunny, well drained and does not get too wet in winter. Another plant which is evergreen with a natural dome shape is Pittosporum golf ball which is worth considering.
I also plant purple tulips with orange and yellow as a river formation in my garden. Dahlias will give you energetic colour mid and late summer until the first frosts. I like the dark leaved varieties. Go with your instinct, you will be happier with the result and make the garden your own!
There are also some very useful threads on this forum which you may already have looked at, like Before and After, Garden Gallery, plus photographic threads on specific plants like roses, clematis, perennials and ornamental grasses. Good luck and enjoy your next phase of developments!
Posts
almost a year on, the my little project is finally starting to lovely.
C
This had been such a daunting task initially. I am tremendously pleased I stuck with it. Looking forward to August when this flower bed goes in full bloom.
Lots to think about.
spring interest
Forget me nots and some purple tulips in the spring. Peonies of course
summer -autumn
dahlias grown from seeds such as bishops children. To be replenished annually
Winter
euphorbia and Rosemary bushes left. All rounded shape at equal intervals.
I like your choices of evergreens, Euphorbias are one of my favourite plants. Rosemary will also grow well if your site is sunny, well drained and does not get too wet in winter. Another plant which is evergreen with a natural dome shape is Pittosporum golf ball which is worth considering.
I also plant purple tulips with orange and yellow as a river formation in my garden. Dahlias will give you energetic colour mid and late summer until the first frosts. I like the dark leaved varieties. Go with your instinct, you will be happier with the result and make the garden your own!