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What should I plant here pls?

moleinthehole1019uS4h02zmoleinthehole1019uS4h02z Posts: 2
in Problem solving
Hi,

have this wonderful garden but it needs more trees and plants more colour. It gets so much sunlight good for rain and wind but also can be guarded from heavy wind.
Looking to put something in between these wooden sleepers and on that paving also looking for wall plants or good covering and some small plants for a pond.
but mainly your expert advice on this small patch by the sleepers I do want trees but not too maybe bushes.
thanks 
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Posts

  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    edited March 2023
    I love your enthusiasum but you have so much concrete to deal with do you have drainage issues would be my first question?
    Is the area to the left of photo yours too? If not you only have a small space in which to plant.  Are the green areas between the sleepers weeds a good place to start would be to clear the area and add some compost you will need to check how deep the soil is here. Not enough room for trees, is there soil next too the walls? 
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • Jenny_AsterJenny_Aster Posts: 945
    What was the area built for? My imagination is thinking it is a filled-in car inspection pit? I so it'll need drainage I imagine. Concrete looks like industrial thickness. Wondering what you'd like the 'finished' garden to look like. 
    Trying to be the person my dog thinks I am! 

    Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    edited March 2023
    @moleinthehole1019uS4h02z Maybe pots? Think outside the box, old galvanised bins as planters? In fact anything you can get hold of with an industrial look. You do have to be careful  what you plant. There is another thread on galvanised planters at the moment.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I think I'd be sorting out all the uneven surfaces, and improving the retaining wall, before considering  plants. There are some serious trip hazards there.
    The hard landscaping is always the first step - whether it's a blank canvas, or one that needs renovating.  :)
    If not, you'll always be trying to hide the 'bad' bits, and resorting to large containers, which would need to be built to fit, not bought, if they're to be useful.  
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    Only you can decide.  Start by visiting open gardens, RHS or National Trust gardens.  Read widely, watch TV gardening programmes.  Look at gardens near home.  Take a year out.  
     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."
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    I don't think visiting gardens is going to help much, with what is essentially a concrete yard.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • clematisdorsetclematisdorset Posts: 1,348
    I am all for greening up anything, so was wondering if a raised pond could be built on the concrete? Also, what exactly is in the bit between the wooden sleepers, @moleinthehole1019uS4h02z ....have you tried digging there?
    Sorry to witness the demise of the forum. 😥😥😥😡😡😡I am Spartacus 
  • moleinthehole1019uS4h02zmoleinthehole1019uS4h02z Posts: 2
    All the land I can do what I want with I’m not into a high project of digging concrete up and so I was lookikg mainly for what buses shrubs or plants to go about 4ft high max some very nice colours …those walls all will either be painted white or I have plans for a slanted smoked wood …but for now I just want some major colour and to introduce for bees we have butterflies and so much more in garden we do get bees but it would be nice to see the round the back too 
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    I would add some compost and empty a packet or two of mixed seeds and see what you get . This would give you a better idea of what will grow  for next year.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    How about a Japanese Maple? If you can get a smallish one acclimatised to that spot and the soil's reasonably good, it will grow to be an attractive small tree in time. My mum has a lovely purple leaved one she bought for £1.50 from Morrisons about ten years ago, now it's a really nice size. It's in full sun and planted in an old pond (with the liner perforated and filled with soil).

    For something faster, Sambucus 'Black Lace' would be nice, you can hard prune it to rejuvenate it and keep it from becoming too large.
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
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