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Ideas for taller perennials - East facing border

andrewnewtonandrewnewton Posts: 155
in Plants
I've got to refill the back of an East facing border and seeking ideas please for taller flowering perennials. The border faces east but the top end gets more shade from a nearby horse chestnut, whereas the bottom gets sun for longer. 
The soil is sandy free draining, neutral to slightly acidic and currently geraniums, perennial cornflower and aquilegia do well at the front. Colour wise I'm not keen on orange or bright yellow but would appreciate some suggestions please from the vast range of knowledge here

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Whites are always useful for shady sites, but I have the opposite type of soil from you, in that it's neutral/acidic, but is clay, and doesn't dry out, which rules out many of the plants I use in that aspect.  :)
    However, some of the larger Aquilegias will work - I grow William Guinness which gets to about 3 feet and more, although that may be down to my climate here too. The white ones are also good, and perhaps yours are smaller varieties, so it's worth having a look at different varieties to see if you can get some taller ones.
    Thalictrums are good, and I grow bronze Fennel in that aspect without any problem. The flowers are subtle, so not a bright yellow like other yellow flowered plants, but more muted. Astrantias should be fine if the soil doesn't get totally dried out. Lilies will also be fine.

    Hopefully others will have some suggestions for your soil  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    Giant scabious (5-6ft) would be happy enough I think. And I agree with the suggestion of Thalictrums, there are quite a few to choose from that would be suitable (a lot of them prefer moist soil but in practice they're pretty adaptable). For more of a medium height (3-4ft) Persicaria amplexicaulis "Alba" is a good one, tough, adaptable, flowers for ages. If you needed a taller one, Persicaria alpina is a giant (6-7ft +)
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    edited May 2023
    I have campanula lactifolia, veronicastrum, thalictrum Black Stockings, delphiniums, aconite, phlox, michaelmas daisy, salvia pink Amistad and phlox in the back of my east facing border.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • andrewnewtonandrewnewton Posts: 155
    Thanks to everyone for their input. I had initially discounted thalictrum as a couple of sites said it needed a moisture rich soil, which mine isn't but good to know will tolerate a wider range. In the past I would have just gone ahead and experimented anyway and if they didn't survive treat it as learning. However that's now an expensive learning experience so tend to do more research rather than impulse buying  :)
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I've found that Thalictrum "Elin" and T. flavum glaucum do fine on my dry well-drained soil but T. delavayi types just wither and die.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • andrewnewtonandrewnewton Posts: 155
    Many JennyJ said:
    I've found that Thalictrum "Elin" and T. flavum glaucum do fine on my dry well-drained soil but T. delavayi types just wither and die.
    Thanks that's very helpful 
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