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Ideas please

WildlifeloverWildlifelover Posts: 380
in Plants
Morning,

I’ve removed a geranium Johnson’s blue (at least I think that’s what is was) as it was becoming too invasive and I’ve now got a space for a more well behaved plant. 

This spot gets early morning sun until about lunchtime due to the linaria, foxgloves and aster that are around it. 

Our soil is quite well drained and I’d like something that would grow to a height in between the linaria/asters and the small salvia/astrantia at the front. Something which won’t start hampering the other plants and is pollinator friendly would be ideal. 

Any ideas would be very much appreciated. 

Thanks. 


Posts

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    A penstemon? Sour Grapes or Stapleford Gem would fit your colour scheme nicely. Or one of the less vigorous shrubby salvias eg Dyson's Joy (seems to be sold as Joy these days) or Deep Purple or Blue Merced.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    A few other things that are looking good in my garden at the right sort of size: Teucrium "Purple Tails", Trifolium rubens "Frosty Feathers", Verbena "Bampton", Dianthus carthusianum.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    Or a small patio type rose .That would look nice ,in white or lavender colour .
  • didywdidyw Posts: 3,573
    How about a hemerocallis? You can get nice lavender or pink ones and the strappy leaves would contrast nicely with the smaller leaved plants you already have.
    Gardening in East Suffolk on dry sandy soil.
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    The Dianthus mentioned would look lovely dotted throughout the space. However with me it is short lived.
    Also as metioned V Bampton would give a change in leaf colour and flowers through the rest of summer. NB it can set alot of seed.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • WildlifeloverWildlifelover Posts: 380
    Many thanks for all the suggestions, I’ll take a good look at them all and see what they’re like. 

    Is the fact the gap doesn’t get full sun not a factor for any of the suggestions?

     Thanks again. 
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    edited June 2022
    None of them get full sun all day long in my garden - just either morning or afternoon/evening. And the shade is from buildings or trees so deeper than just from neighbouring plants. The verbena seeds around and appears in the same sorts of places as linaria so it should be happy there. My Dianthus carthusianum were seed-raised and are now in their 3rd year - 2nd year flowering, and last year they flowered from June to September.
    I should have said, I have light well-drained sandy soil (with lots of compost added over the years, but it's still fundamentally light) and all of the plants that I suggested are happy growing in it.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • borgadrborgadr Posts: 718
    edited June 2022
    If that was mine, I'd add some more astrantias to complement the ones you already have..  maybe a deeper burgundy to pop against the softer pinks and blues you've got there.  They won't mind a bit of shade.
    But that's just me!
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @Jennyj My soil is heavy but I wanted to try Dianthus carthusianum, just one lovely year then gone. Might try some seed and treat as and annual it is so lovely.  
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
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