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Tall treesTall trees Posts: 175
in Garden design
Anyone give some ideas for all round colour, I don’t mind a mix of shrubs, herbaceous and bulbs. 
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  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    Is it east facing? Roughly where (as in Cornwall, or Argyle or Kent)?
    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • Tall treesTall trees Posts: 175
    It’s north facing
  • Mrs-B3-Southampton,-HantsMrs-B3-Southampton,-Hants Posts: 732
    @Tall trees Your profile says South Wales. Inland or near the coast?
    Southampton 
  • Tall treesTall trees Posts: 175
    It’s north facing, inland 
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    If the area is north facing you'll struggle to fill it with year round colour.
    The majority of flowering plants need plenty of sun and that won't be available.
    You may need to think more about different shades of green and different forms, shapes and leaf textures - there are plenty of plants that will be happy there and look really good there, but I don't think a riot of colour is feasible.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Balgay.HillBalgay.Hill Posts: 1,089
    Are you sure it's north facing? The shadow on the window, and from the legs on the sign on the pavement are not facing away from the big white wall.
    Sunny Dundee
  • Tall treesTall trees Posts: 175
    Yes I’m 💯 positive 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    edited July 2023
    There will be plenty of things that will work, but you'd need to counteract the slope a little bit when you plant. Things like cotoneaster are good for holding soil on slopes, and stabilising them, but it could be worth putting a few lengths of timber across it to create mini terraces, just until planting gets established. The soil type and the drainage are factors, and I'm guessing it's all new soil that's been put in there. If so, it'll help to know how deep that is and what's below it. If it's compacted, as is often the case on new build sites, that will need addressed before putting any plants in there, or they may not thrive.
    I can't decide on the lengths in your drawing, in relation to the photo, but I take it the 7m distance is the one at the front wall though?
    Variegated shrubs as mentioned - Euonymous, Eleagnus, Ilex etc will all be fine though, and Spireas and Potentillas will be fine in that aspect, and are very easy shrubs. You can add spring bulbs and good old hardy geraniums for some perennial colour, and variegation with Hostas too. The condition of the soil will determine what else will work well. Moist soil will mean things like Dicentra and Polemonium will do well. 
    If the soil isn't alkaline or too dry, then the usual Azaleas, Rhodos, Skimmias, Camellias and Pieris will be ideal, and I expect you'll get enough rainfall to keep them happy.

    I'll have to take you to task @raisingirl - that isn't how you spell Argyll.... ;)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Tall treesTall trees Posts: 175
    The slope isn’t that bad, the 7m is at the back of the plot against the house, things like eleagnus would be to tall, it’s already 3ft off the ground plus a slight slope, but yes euonymus is good, i know im limited on plants 1 it’s north facing, 2 I don’t wish to go high then 3ft max with the hight of the plants, 3 there’s not much area to work in, it’s an interesting project. 
  • Balgay.HillBalgay.Hill Posts: 1,089
    edited July 2023
    Tall trees said:
    Yes I’m 💯 positive 
    A north facing wall gets no sun, and that wall is in full sun. It makes a difference to the plants you can use.
    Sunny Dundee
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