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Favourite herbaceous perennials

TinyfeetbiggobTinyfeetbiggob Posts: 27
in Garden design
I’m trying to establish my garden - I’ve had a sudden realisation that I love beautiful flowers after a brief flirtation with growing veg. So I’d really appreciate some suggestions from more experienced gardeners for potential additions for herbaceous perennials
thank you 
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Posts

  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    Hello
    Where in the country are you? What is your soil like? What colours do you like? What kind of thing is growing in your neighbours gardens?
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • TinyfeetbiggobTinyfeetbiggob Posts: 27
    Hi @B3 thanks for the interest in on the Hants/Surrey border. Soil is heavy clay but seems to be responding well with a bit of tlc. It’s a sloping south facing garden which has a large area of full sun which is very dry and full shade at the very back. It’s not massive and the surrounding gardens seem to be mainly lawn with some established magnolia/conifer other native trees. 

    Colourwise I’m drawn to whites/purples/pinks and interesting foliage but am open to suggestions as I seem to be acclimating pink flowering plants rapidly at the moment 😊


  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    I love delphiniums, salvias of most sorts, liatris, penstemons. A couple of years ago I bought an Alstromeria, called Indian Summer, I think it's gorgeous but it's mostly orange so maybe not to your taste. It is now a decent size clump with bronze leaves and the buds are forming.

    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    Do you know if you have lime or is your soil acidic?

    You may be able to grow deciduous agapanthus in the sunny bit. Roses and penstemons will also probably be happy. If your soil is quite deep, you may be able to grow peonies. A small tree/large shrub that is worth a look is amelanchier - they like clay. Hardy geraniums will grow in the shade. 
    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • Mrs-B3-Southampton,-HantsMrs-B3-Southampton,-Hants Posts: 732
    Phlox
    Southampton 
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    Oh yes, phlox, forgot them, yet I have several.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • Janie BJanie B Posts: 963
    Delphiniums, penstemons, hardy geraniums and various salvias all grow well in my clay soil. And are all reliably perennial too (well, some of the salvias, some are more robust than others). 
    Lincolnshire
  • TinyfeetbiggobTinyfeetbiggob Posts: 27
    Busy-Lizzie said:
    I love delphiniums, salvias of most sorts, liatris, penstemons. A couple of years ago I bought an Alstromeria, called Indian Summer, I think it's gorgeous but it's mostly orange so maybe not to your taste. It is now a decent size clump with bronze leaves and the buds are forming.

    Thanks for the suggestions lots to think about  @Busy-Lizzie that  alstroemeria  is beautiful 
  • TinyfeetbiggobTinyfeetbiggob Posts: 27
    raisingirl said:
    Do you know if you have lime or is your soil acidic?

    You may be able to grow deciduous agapanthus in the sunny bit. Roses and penstemons will also probably be happy. If your soil is quite deep, you may be able to grow peonies. A small tree/large shrub that is worth a look is amelanchier - they like clay. Hardy geraniums will grow in the shade. 
    Thanks @raisingirl I don’t know if the soil is acidic (should probably check) agapanthus/peony  is a good shout I have a few roses which seem happy. I’m off to Google amalanchier 😊
  • TinyfeetbiggobTinyfeetbiggob Posts: 27
    Phlox yes! Thanks @Mrs-B3-Southampton,-Hants
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