Forum home› Garden design
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Bed of carex

Winchester_flareWinchester_flare Posts: 46
in Garden design
I’ve got a raised bed with space for about a dozen carex - I’m having a bit of a dilemma whether to have all the same species or mix it up a bit. I can’t work out in my head what will look better. It transitions from full sun to partial sun.

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It depends on the look you like. How big is the bed - the area?
    There are lots of different varieties of Carex. Most are evergreen but not all. Whatever you do, don't get C. pendula or you'll end up with nothing else in your garden....
    The smaller ones - Evergold or Ice Dance can still get to around 18 inches or more in spread. I'm not sure a whole bed the same would look great, but it comes down to personal preference.
    They don't like drying out, so your growing medium will need to be mainly soil for a raised bed.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I’ve got Ice Dance,  but you have to keep an eye on it,  It pops up everywhere but easy to dig out. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    edited April 2023
    @Winchester_flare Personally I wouldn't plant carex in full sun in a raised bed. You would be better off looking at some grasses.
    Bowles Golden Sedge is good in full shade. Golden in winter greener in summer.

    You could limit your choices and repeat at the other side of the bed.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • Winchester_flareWinchester_flare Posts: 46
    Fairygirl said:
    It depends on the look you like. How big is the bed - the area?
    There are lots of different varieties of Carex. Most are evergreen but not all. Whatever you do, don't get C. pendula or you'll end up with nothing else in your garden....
    The smaller ones - Evergold or Ice Dance can still get to around 18 inches or more in spread. I'm not sure a whole bed the same would look great, but it comes down to personal preference.
    They don't like drying out, so your growing medium will need to be mainly soil for a raised bed.  :)
    It's L-shape and 4m by 3m in length, the depth varies but starts at 50cm and grows to 1.5m behind the apex of the L. The carex are intended to go along the front of the bed with a mix of Skimmia rubella, loropetalum firedance and Elaeagnus Ebbingei behind. I'll put in some bulbs (deer resistant!) too.
Sign In or Register to comment.