[...]...How wide is it? It looks like maybe 30cm or even less...[...]
What? It's at least 60cm to my eye, probably wider. You won't find many human beings who are 30cm wide.
I
love Marlorena's suggestion. That parahebe also looks like a good
alternative to the other blue flower, biennial, that I forgot the name
of. It was in the most recent episode of GW.
I assume that the big square slabs are 60x60cm, the small squares 30x30, the whole path 90cm - that would make the border 25cm, 30 max.
Parahebe 'Porlock' will hardly spill if it's grown in a sunny position and even if it does a little, it's easy to just trim back with scissors.. a child could do it.. any prunings can be potted up, they soon root for new plants..
If grown in too much shade it will reach out a bit but even then it's not a wide spreading plant, and remains fairly compact.
There are lots of alternatives too.. Geranium sanguineum 'Max Frei' will not spread out but remains compact.
Liriope muscari 'Big Blue' is a grassy perennial suitable..
Upright English Lavender is another, such as Hidcote which is dark blue/purple or a light blue like 'Ashdown Forest'.. they go well with roses of all sorts..
The border is not a problem, cleaning up the amount of spent petals when they fall, might become tiresome..if left to go damp they can stain paving.. the roses look good..
I grow Parahebe perfoliata not for this site. I garden on clay and I only have one area where it will cope with a wet winter. Could be a problem further north in a cold wet clay.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
An upright Salvia like Salvia nemorosa "Caradonna" would work there or a compact Penstemon like Penstemon Phoenix, available in several bright colours. Both these plants have quite contained habits and can easily be divided if they get out of hand! It is also claimed that Salvias can help to keep mildew and blackspot at bay!
It is also claimed that Salvias can help to keep mildew and blackspot at bay!
Sarah Raven made that up, from looking at her own garden. I don't think it's remotely true. I grow roses and salvias togather all over the place and it has made no difference.
Apologies for the late reply. Hectic week at work!!
To answer some questions, the fence panels are 180cm across and the border is 30cm at it's widest, 20cm at it's narrowest. The roses were bare root planted in November in freshly lain soil bought in a tonne bag purposefully for growing roses, and then each hole had GC bought manure put in and around during planting. I've been watering them but max once a week with rose feed mixed in and they have shot up from being bare root! Also we are in the South East (near Reading) and the fence is SE facing.
Plenty of great suggestions for under planting, thank you! I will have to research each suggestion and see what to go with!
Posts
If grown in too much shade it will reach out a bit but even then it's not a wide spreading plant, and remains fairly compact.
There are lots of alternatives too.. Geranium sanguineum 'Max Frei' will not spread out but remains compact.
Liriope muscari 'Big Blue' is a grassy perennial suitable..
Upright English Lavender is another, such as Hidcote which is dark blue/purple or a light blue like 'Ashdown Forest'.. they go well with roses of all sorts..
The border is not a problem, cleaning up the amount of spent petals when they fall, might become tiresome..if left to go damp they can stain paving.. the roses look good..
It is also claimed that Salvias can help to keep mildew and blackspot at bay!
Apologies for the late reply. Hectic week at work!!
To answer some questions, the fence panels are 180cm across and the border is 30cm at it's widest, 20cm at it's narrowest. The roses were bare root planted in November in freshly lain soil bought in a tonne bag purposefully for growing roses, and then each hole had GC bought manure put in and around during planting. I've been watering them but max once a week with rose feed mixed in and they have shot up from being bare root! Also we are in the South East (near Reading) and the fence is SE facing.
Plenty of great suggestions for under planting, thank you! I will have to research each suggestion and see what to go with!
This is how they are looking now