Another...what would look nice here?!

Bramble55 · 11 January

I know I'll probably get the usual "it's your garden/house whatever you like, have a play" but I have no idea when it comes to plants! I do really appreciate all the great ideas I get given on here so back again asking what to do here!? Basically have this little area below the garage and along side our parking area, it's the first area you see coming up the lane to our house, any plants to be seen from the road would need to be of a bit of height as the wall is there, there's a couple of climber trellises (if that's even what they are called?!) so I could get some climbers?

It's South facing and it's covered in wood chip as the tree we had cut down from another part of the garden, the tree surgeons put all the chips down here, what can I plant here to look nice? With the possible climbers? ANY advice welcome, I really do appreciate hearing from people who know about gardening! (I am slowly learning bits and pieces 😂)

Ceres · 11 January

Without knowing where you are based, what your soil is like, altitude, etc. etc. it is a little difficult to come up with a suggestion that will work first time. The obvious candidates are things like honeysuckle, pyracantha, clematis, cotoneaster, rose. As you will soon be heading to the garden centre to buy laurels then maybe it would be a good idea to ask someone there if they can recommend anything suitable. A local garden centre will be familiar with the soil in your area and should be able to sell you something that won't keel over in the first week. Another trick is to walk around your neighbourhood (unless you are very remote from the nearest built up area) to see what others have growing in their gardens. There is no point in buying an acid lover if you are on limestone. Take photos if you haven't a clue what the plants are and post the pictures on the forum and someone will doubtless be able to come up with the name.

bertrand-mabel · 11 January

Clematis armandii is evergreen, a climber and has fragrant flowers in the winter (ours though seems to flower many times in the year, in flower now again). It would need the support. It can be pruned back.

Bramble55 · 11 January

@ceres thanks for your reply. In south east Cornwall, fairly high up, as for soil type... 🤔 everything seems to grow well here!

Busy-Lizzie · 12 January

Do you want to plant up the area where the wood chips are as well as the trellis?

Do you prefer shrubs or perennials? A few easy shrubs, such as weigela, spireas, potentilla, viburnum, euonymus should do the trick. I love perennials but they are higher maintenance.

Joyce Goldenlily · 12 January

I would definitely go for a scented evergreen climber of some sort, it would be a shame not to use all of that lovely trellis. {I am rather envious as I have no walls or fences suitable for growing climbers} It would also leave the wood-chipped area free to be planted up at a later stage if you wished.
As the garage wall faces South and is at the top of a slope I am guessing the planting area is likely to be rather dry, quick draining. Your location means practically anything will grow well as long as it doesn't need desert conditions, we have very wet winters down here in Cornwall. Avoid anything labeled vigorous or easy to grow, it will take over the garage and the rest of the garden. As you do not have a lot of gardening experience yet I would also avoid anything labelled tender that will need nurturing to keep going. The wood chip area looks like a lovely sitting corner so scent could be a priority.
Try putting scented, evergreen climbers South UK into your search engine and see what comes up. Burncoose Nursery is a good local centre, the Duchy Garden Centre is another local nursery.

Ceres · 12 January

You could try growing a jasminum nudiflorum up one of the trellises. They look lovely in flower and add a touch of colour to winter days. The downside is their willingness to root wherever a stem touches the ground but if you keep the plant well trimmed you shouldn't have a problem.

https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-grow-winter-jasmine/

Redwing · 12 January

Bramble55 said:

@ceres thanks for your reply. In south east Cornwall, fairly high up, as for soil type... 🤔 everything seems to grow well here!

Great location and south facing! Who wouldn't love that? What about an almond tree or peach against that wall?

Fire · 12 January

What a beautiful spot! How much work do you want to do and how often do you pass the wall? Do you want a low maintenance climber that more or less looks after itself or are you willing to put in a bit more work? With all the trees in front, it looks like it's in partial shade much of the time?

punkdoc · 12 January

In the summer that wall might be very shaded which will influence what you can grow.

Songbird-2 · 12 January

At the end of the wall where I can see a little wooden fence I would be tempted to try and grow a Griselinia Littoralis there. We have one in our front garden ( full sun) and two more in the back garden( one in full shade) which only require pruning to desired height. We don't feed them or even water them and all three are doing well even in the funny weather patterns we are having.( ours have been in the ground for some 3-5 years) It would hide the corner there nicely and give a nice ' ending' to the wall and the garage and cover the road from sight.
However, as with any new plants,you would have to keep it well watered in the first year and prepare the ground well for it ( plenty of organic matter) prior to planting.
All the best with your choices.

Another...what would look nice here?!

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