I'd agree with that @Plantminded. I also forgot to ask @Grays what the plan is for the rest of the bed, or is the existing planting fine but just needs the tidy up? It might be worth considering the whole area before deciding on particular plants for the edge. Spring bulbs are always a good shout for filling a space, along with easy perennials like hardy geraniums, and a few evergreens, to give some all year round variety and interest
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Yes, @Fairygirl, I also thought that some tidying and extra planting would make a much better feature, depending on time and budget. I've got some breeze blocks like that as the foundation for some sandstone dry walling. They must have been there for over 50 years, attracting mosses with foxgloves happily growing in the gaps!
There's an argument for painting it a dark colour which would neaten it up, you could even skim the joints with mortar first to make it look like an expensive rendered wall. Then if you have trailing plants coming over it, the dark colour will make them look more prominent and make the wall less prominent.
However... meh, it doesn't look that offensive to me.
Trailing rosemary would be a good plant to use as it's evergreen. There are a few cotoneasters and Ceonothus th. repens which would do a similar job. Aubretia needs trimming back after flowering or it looks tatty during summer time so not ideal. Erigeron is great, Persicaria vacciniifolia would be worth tracking down. Geranium Rozanne will certainly spill over the edge but like the Erigeron there'd be nothing there during winter.
(By the way I'm talking about planting these things in the border alongside, not in the holes in the breeze blocks!)
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
The condition of the existing soil, and @Grays' climate will be the main factors in choosing plants. It could be dry sandy soil, or it could be wet, sticky clay. A very wet part of the country, or a very dry one. There's a fairly large shrub of some kind in there, so that will have an impact too.
Budget is always important, so buying some smaller plants at this time of year and letting them grow on through summer, to plant out in autumn, can be a good idea. Nurseries and GCs often have a sale at the end of summer when you can get well grown perennials that can be divided, which is also a good way of getting freebies. Filler plants [mainly annuals] can be bought in cheapo shops or supermarkets too, and that gives some inexpensive ground cover while other plants mature, rather than buying/using compost, bark etc
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Hi all, Many thanks for the replies. Ive added another photo for more context, this was taken at 10am this morning. Ive always had trouble describing which way the wall is "facing", if you were to stand in front looking at the wall you would be facing East, so does that make the wall westerly facing???? Anyway, as you can see, the sun comes around the house mid morning and it gets full sun in the afternoon onwards. It has been done as a sort of rockery I guess, lots of large rocks in various places. There are a couple of rosebushes, daffodils and plenty of tulips (still to come through), some ferns and all the greenery at the moment results in a bed of purple "cone like" flowers, I don't know the name unfortunately. We are on the North Yorkshire coast. So do you think there is room to plant along the entire front with a view of them trailing down over the side? Thanks again.
Yes, your wall/border is west facing! If you clear the area in which you want to place trailing plants they will be fine. I'd improve the soil with some organic matter like Farmyard Manure or soil conditioner to improve water retention and drainage. Seeing your wall in context with your house, I'd still not paint it - it blends in well with your dry stone walling and the other brick wall in front of your house entrance.
I have a similar situation in my back garden but the border is east facing so it gets only early morning sun for about two hours. Despite the lack of direct sun, it is still quite bright. I grow hardy geraniums, Erigeron karvinskianus and Iberis (currently in flower) to trail down the wall. It looks much better in summer! The shrubs include Hydrangea paniculata limelight and Phormium. You'll see some aged breeze blocks as the foundation for the dry sandstone walling, they attract mosses, lichen and foxgloves in the gaps!
Yes, your wall/border is west facing! If you clear the area in which you want to place trailing plants they will be fine. I'd improve the soil with some organic matter like Farmyard Manure or soil conditioner to improve water retention and drainage. Seeing your wall in context with your house, I'd still not paint it - it blends in well with your dry stone walling and the other brick wall in front of your house entrance.
Thanks for the advice. Would you hold back on planting until April incase of any further frosts? If anyone has anymore advice on what would be suitable to plant in there now we have established that it is westerly facing and we are on the North Yorkshire coast that would be great. Thanks again.
Posts
I also forgot to ask @Grays what the plan is for the rest of the bed, or is the existing planting fine but just needs the tidy up? It might be worth considering the whole area before deciding on particular plants for the edge.
Spring bulbs are always a good shout for filling a space, along with easy perennials like hardy geraniums, and a few evergreens, to give some all year round variety and interest
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
However... meh, it doesn't look that offensive to me.
Trailing rosemary would be a good plant to use as it's evergreen. There are a few cotoneasters and Ceonothus th. repens which would do a similar job. Aubretia needs trimming back after flowering or it looks tatty during summer time so not ideal. Erigeron is great, Persicaria vacciniifolia would be worth tracking down. Geranium Rozanne will certainly spill over the edge but like the Erigeron there'd be nothing there during winter.
(By the way I'm talking about planting these things in the border alongside, not in the holes in the breeze blocks!)
There's a fairly large shrub of some kind in there, so that will have an impact too.
Budget is always important, so buying some smaller plants at this time of year and letting them grow on through summer, to plant out in autumn, can be a good idea. Nurseries and GCs often have a sale at the end of summer when you can get well grown perennials that can be divided, which is also a good way of getting freebies. Filler plants [mainly annuals] can be bought in cheapo shops or supermarkets too, and that gives some inexpensive ground cover while other plants mature, rather than buying/using compost, bark etc
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Many thanks for the replies.
Ive added another photo for more context, this was taken at 10am this morning.
Ive always had trouble describing which way the wall is "facing", if you were to stand in front looking at the wall you would be facing East, so does that make the wall westerly facing????
Anyway, as you can see, the sun comes around the house mid morning and it gets full sun in the afternoon onwards.
It has been done as a sort of rockery I guess, lots of large rocks in various places.
There are a couple of rosebushes, daffodils and plenty of tulips (still to come through), some ferns and all the greenery at the moment results in a bed of purple "cone like" flowers, I don't know the name unfortunately.
We are on the North Yorkshire coast.
So do you think there is room to plant along the entire front with a view of them trailing down over the side?
Thanks again.
Would you hold back on planting until April incase of any further frosts?
If anyone has anymore advice on what would be suitable to plant in there now we have established that it is westerly facing and we are on the North Yorkshire coast that would be great.
Thanks again.