Rose Gertrude Jekyll is famously well scented and flowers throughout the summer. You could keep it as a shrub rose or it would happily cover much of your fence. The only downside with GJ is that it is very prickly.
I have 2 in quite a shady spot and they've been there for ~30yrs. If your planter is open to the soil below, whatever you plant there will grow much better.
The bed is open at the bottom after a layer of coarse gravel for drainage because the natural earth beneath is clay. If I put roses at the top and mix ericaceous in, will the acid run through the soil to the plants further down? It is sloped although not clear in the photo and wetter at the bottom.
No need for any faffing about with ericaceous compost. Why add ericaceous compost unless you're growing plants that need VERY acidic soil - most don't. Roses LOVE clay soil
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Ah I didn't know that thanks! How moisture tolerant are they? It gets pretty damp in winter in those beds, which is why we had them built. They were a last resort after reaching the limit of what we could do drainage-wise in a new build garden. There's extensive underground drainage which required the entire garden being dug up, but still becomes very wet. We doubled the height of the beds a few months ago because they were still so wet. I need to fill them before next winter to get things established
I had 4 GJ in my north-facing garden for about 30yrs - they were fine but would prefer more sun. The soil in my front garden has never been amended in the 37 yrs I've lived here - mainly as I have a huge acer and the GJs are growing underneath it! The soil is thick and heavy clay. As long as the main root system isn't waterlogged all the time they should be fine. If most of it is waterlogged most of the time, there's not much that will survive there.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I planted all of this (apart from the ropey fern) out over the last couple of days, and realised while doing so that they're not going to do well because it turned out the soil is very moist. So I'm going to have to find another place for them and give up the dream of fragrance. I planted two lavender, rosemary, thyme and a roald dahl rose bush.
I'm going to have to buy plants that enjoy moisture such as hostas - does anyone have any other recommendations? It's not waterlogged, has a lot of large gravel in the bottom and is open to the clay earth below. But it is very moist.
The amount of sun is calculated by summer conditions, so if it's less than around 6 or 7 hours of direct sun in summer, it would be considered semi shade, or dappled shade, depending on what other planting/buildings/walls/fences are around. Dappled shade would be more likely with planting - shrubs/trees etc, filtering the sun. Semi shade is what you'll have.
Acteas, Dicentras, Polygonatum [Solomons Seal], Astilbes, Polemniums, Camassias etc - all fine in consistently moist soil, as long as there is actual drainage and it isn't a bog, and varying degrees of shade, including pretty much full shade. The Acteas are the only scented ones though, but could be used alongside other scented plants. Evergreens - Osmanthus, Fatsias and things like Eleagnus are all fine. Osmanthus have small scented flowers, but in late winter/early spring.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thank you. I will see whether the garden centre has these, which is likely because it's a very good one. They have had enough of my questions now though!
@BouncingBack Don't buy nepeta. I have only just seen this thread and I would have avoided lavender. Carex evergold or similar would work with the fern which you can cut back late next spring and it will regrow at the base. With the amount of shade you descibe you could repeat it further up. Scent/ oils are difficult in shade as they need sun to be at their best. This may be the reason for a limited response.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
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The bed is open at the bottom after a layer of coarse gravel for drainage because the natural earth beneath is clay. If I put roses at the top and mix ericaceous in, will the acid run through the soil to the plants further down? It is sloped although not clear in the photo and wetter at the bottom.
Why add ericaceous compost unless you're growing plants that need VERY acidic soil - most don't.
Roses LOVE clay soil
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
As long as the main root system isn't waterlogged all the time they should be fine.
If most of it is waterlogged most of the time, there's not much that will survive there.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I planted all of this (apart from the ropey fern) out over the last couple of days, and realised while doing so that they're not going to do well because it turned out the soil is very moist. So I'm going to have to find another place for them and give up the dream of fragrance. I planted two lavender, rosemary, thyme and a roald dahl rose bush.
I'm going to have to buy plants that enjoy moisture such as hostas - does anyone have any other recommendations? It's not waterlogged, has a lot of large gravel in the bottom and is open to the clay earth below. But it is very moist.
Acteas, Dicentras, Polygonatum [Solomons Seal], Astilbes, Polemniums, Camassias etc - all fine in consistently moist soil, as long as there is actual drainage and it isn't a bog, and varying degrees of shade, including pretty much full shade. The Acteas are the only scented ones though, but could be used alongside other scented plants.
Evergreens - Osmanthus, Fatsias and things like Eleagnus are all fine. Osmanthus have small scented flowers, but in late winter/early spring.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Carex evergold or similar would work with the fern which you can cut back late next spring and it will regrow at the base. With the amount of shade you descibe you could repeat it further up.
Scent/ oils are difficult in shade as they need sun to be at their best. This may be the reason for a limited response.
Skimmia's a possibility, but again - early scent rather than summer.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...