This is my gravel garden, which was planted up in October 2021 (after we had the old cracked driveway replaced and the front wall cleaned and repointed).
I was planning for a largely silver and bronze/purple colour scheme. Initially I planted Heuchera, ophiopogon, verbena bonariensis, erigeron, eryngium, echinops, stachys and erigeron karvinskianus.
We were on a bit of a tight budget, so they were all cuttings from my back garden or from friends' gardens. There are also 3 perovski along the rather ugly dividing wall, which I am hoping will eventually cover it.
It was lacking a bit of height, so I grew a couple of cardoon from seed. They were planted a few months later and it definitely has some height now! There is also a tall thistle type plant which I can't remember the name of. I've added a few more bits I have bought when we have visited open gardens and plant fairs eg a Phlomis russeliana and a verbena bampton.
The cardoons are a particularly good ice breaker with our (relatively new) neighbours. It's filled out very quickly, and I'm (mostly) pleased with it. It's currently looking slightly wilted in some places after a long hot dry spell, but it's mostly looking as if it will survive the changing climate conditions.
It is certainly an improvement on what was there before:
@Hoops Thankyou for sharing your lovely garden. I think this is the way forward for sunny front gardens where you don't want to drag a lawnmower back and forth. Also not alot of watering is needed which is good for so many reasons. During lockdown I missed buying plants but I looked around my own garden and found there were so many things I could split to fill in gaps. I do know the name of your thistle Onopordum acanthium you should get plenty of seedlings. I also grow VBampton and Phlomis russeliana in my front garden. Erodiums do well and also grasses such as Calamagrostis Overdam for winter height.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
This the gravel garden at RHS Harlow Carr in Harrogate. It always looks good from mid July to September. A mix of grasses, Aster monch, Rudbekia, alium, echinacea, verbena,kniffofia and others, please forgive the dodgy plant spellings.
Another from yesterday at harlow car, its the same site as above, with erengium and salvia in there too, the pics in my previous post are how it looks about a month from now.
@GardenerSuze thank you for your kind words. It's the first time I have planted up a garden from scratch. It was a bit of an experiment, but it looks like it will be (largely) successful.
Thank you also for reminding me of the name of the thistle, and for your recommendations for other plants. I don't think I have much more planting room at the moment, but it's good to have some suggestions for plants with winter height. Also some ideas for alternatives if any of the existing plants don't survive (I am watching with interest to see if the ligularia will be oK)
@Hoops Yes I think the ligularia will give you a good indication what your soil is like. I had to give up on Heuchera's in my garden it is just too dry. It is always good to have some other ideas for things you might add in the future.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Ligularias don't like drying out, so you'd need to ensure it's kept moist enough. They're happiest in consistently damp soil. Slugs are the biggest problem with them though, which often goes hand in hand with the damp soil. Unfortunately
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@Rickyjones24 I love Harlow Carr. Think we will all be growing similar plants in the future. @Hoops When you look at your plant list the ligularia does need very different growing conditions. However it is great creating something new on a tight plant budget, it is part of the fun. If it fills a space and gives you the height you need for a season thats good although I guess lots of cans have been needed to keep it going.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
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I was planning for a largely silver and bronze/purple colour scheme. Initially I planted Heuchera, ophiopogon, verbena bonariensis, erigeron, eryngium, echinops, stachys and erigeron karvinskianus.
We were on a bit of a tight budget, so they were all cuttings from my back garden or from friends' gardens. There are also 3 perovski along the rather ugly dividing wall, which I am hoping will eventually cover it.
It was lacking a bit of height, so I grew a couple of cardoon from seed. They were planted a few months later and it definitely has some height now! There is also a tall thistle type plant which I can't remember the name of. I've added a few more bits I have bought when we have visited open gardens and plant fairs eg a Phlomis russeliana and a verbena bampton.
The cardoons are a particularly good ice breaker with our (relatively new) neighbours. It's filled out very quickly, and I'm (mostly) pleased with it. It's currently looking slightly wilted in some places after a long hot dry spell, but it's mostly looking as if it will survive the changing climate conditions.
It is certainly an improvement on what was there before:
During lockdown I missed buying plants but I looked around my own garden and found there were so many things I could split to fill in gaps.
I do know the name of your thistle Onopordum acanthium you should get plenty of seedlings. I also grow VBampton and Phlomis russeliana in my front garden. Erodiums do well and also grasses such as Calamagrostis Overdam for winter height.
Thank you also for reminding me of the name of the thistle, and for your recommendations for other plants. I don't think I have much more planting room at the moment, but it's good to have some suggestions for plants with winter height. Also some ideas for alternatives if any of the existing plants don't survive (I am watching with interest to see if the ligularia will be oK)
Slugs are the biggest problem with them though, which often goes hand in hand with the damp soil. Unfortunately
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@Hoops When you look at your plant list the ligularia does need very different growing conditions. However it is great creating something new on a tight plant budget, it is part of the fun. If it fills a space and gives you the height you need for a season thats good although I guess lots of cans have been needed to keep it going.