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Plants for this spot..?

ciaranmcgreneraciaranmcgrenera Posts: 313
edited October 2022 in Plants

There’s about a foot and a half between the wall and the cobbles here. 

The cobbles were existing but the drive was a mess, the soil is well draining underneath with some top soil added. This had been weed proof membrane with gravel on top with Japanese Anemones growing up through it from next door. We dug down about a foot and got rid of as much of the JA as we could (I’m aware I’m going to be fighting that for a couple of years now). 

What I had thought was to put in a row of Hydrangea Limelight or Annabelle with some allium Purple Sensation and Mount Everest mixed along it. Maybe some Iris Reticulata along the front or Tete a Tete daffs.

What does the gardeners world hive mind think? I’m a little worried 18 inches won’t be enough room for the Hydrangea, but they seem happy in pots of that size.
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  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @ciaranmcgrenera Which way does the border face? Also how deep is the border not the width but how far down can you go being careful not to disturb the cement that the brick edge is laid on? Do you want to grow climbers I realise that is something you haven't mentioned. 18 inches from wall to brick edge isn't very deep as you say. Hydrangas like a retentive soil and Alliums need sharpe drainage to do well.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    Personally, I don't like the breeze block effect.  I would grow some self-clinging climbers.  Hydrangea petiolaris comes to mind.  Also, I am a fan of ivies.  If you want colour, then go for variegated.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • ciaranmcgreneraciaranmcgrenera Posts: 313
    edited October 2022
    Sorry all, you can’t see here but the wall is only just above waist high. I intend to Paint it white / or a cream that matches the house. 

    I can go down a foot to 18 inches- it’s much better soil than I thought it would be, it drains quite well. I thought it would be heavy clay but I suppose all that’s reflected in the fact the anemones seem to love it.

    the border is west/ south west facing and will easily get the 6 hours a day sunlight in the growing season.
  • seacrowsseacrows Posts: 234
    Does the wall belong to you? If not, there are some limits on how close to the wall you can plant, interference with drainage, fixing trellis/wire to the wall.
    I'd think of one of the bigger forms of nepeta with bulbs in between. Maybe different coloured berry forms of pyracantha? You can trim that to any shape you like (but do have to trim it, or, like us, you end up with an eight foot cubed monster bush rooted in a hole the size of one brick).
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    edited October 2022
    Hydrangea limelight can become quite big shrubs and will need more space to reach their full potential.  They are lovely but the stems when weighted with flowers tend to splay downwards and outwards, particularly when wet, so will look untidy in a confined space.  I recommend adding one to your garden, but with more space.  They also prefer light shade.
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    It's very narrow for bulky shrubs like hydrangeas. It's not just the size of the root balls - they need room to spread out and in that border the wall would be in the way, so they'd grow one-sided and flop over the drive.
    The Japanese anemones will most likely come back, and would probably be as good a choice as anything for a narrow space that's likely to be in rain shadow from the wall, and possibly shade as well, depending which way it faces. You could plant ivy and alliums as already suggested, and my bet is the JA will come back in amongst them. Or you could plant more, given that you know they like the situation. The white A. Honorine Jobert and would look good against a backdrop of green ivy, or the pink ones against the wall if you paint it white/cream.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • ciaranmcgreneraciaranmcgrenera Posts: 313
    edited October 2022
    Wall is a dividing wall beaten me and a neighbour. There is a sewer running beneath my side. The Neighbour used to have ivy and  Japanese anemones growing on their side but we both agreed to clear them out- they had spread to my side.

    Nepeta is a good call actually.
  • ciaranmcgreneraciaranmcgrenera Posts: 313
    JennyJ said:
    It's very narrow for bulky shrubs like hydrangeas. It's not just the size of the root balls - they need room to spread out and in that border the wall would be in the way, so they'd grow one-sided and flop over the drive.
    The Japanese anemones will most likely come back, and would probably be as good a choice as anything for a narrow space that's likely to be in rain shadow from the wall, and possibly shade as well, depending which way it faces. You could plant ivy and alliums as already suggested, and my bet is the JA will come back in amongst them. Or you could plant more, given that you know they like the situation. The white A. Honorine Jobert and would look good against a backdrop of green ivy, or the pink ones against the wall if you paint it white/cream.
    This is completely irrational, but I hate the Japanese Anemones!
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    No problem, you'll come up with something else suitable. You'll probably have to keep taking out the JA though. It's no coincidence that root cuttings is the recommended method of propagation - any broken-off bit will regrow. Nepeta will be fine if yours is the sunny side. Otherwise maybe Erigeron karviskianus  - it's supposed to prefer full sun but I have it near the east-facing side of the house which only gets morning sun, and there's some that self seeded into paving cracks by the north side of the house. Or Alchemilla mollis if it's shady. Both of those are also hard to get rid of once they're established, so make sure you like them before you commit!
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    You could consider Euonymous Green Pillar if the winter months are important. 
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
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