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Under hedge planting

NewDevonGardenNewDevonGarden Posts: 4
in Plants
Hello all, we have a take on a Devon hedge along one side of our plot. It’s essentially a raised bed contained with sleepers in some parts and dry stone wall in others with a hedge over (part with sleepers that I’ve cleared a little is pictured). Currently it’s overgrown with ivy and also contains some ferns and bulbs. Even after the rain it’s quite dry soil and is west-facing. I’d like to clear some of the ivy and add colour/interesting ground cover that will spread along the bed, and is ideally insect friendly and low maintenance. Thoughts and recommendations welcome!

Posts

  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    Small bulbs (you'd probably struggle to plant large ones deep enough), primroses, variegated ivy and vinca minor spring to mind...
    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    Anemone blanda would give you colour in spring, the bulbs need to be planted in autumn and ideally soaked overnight in water. I've found that the best plant for dry, difficult locations with lots of competition from other plants is Euphorbia amygdaloides var robbiae which is evergreen, with attractive lime green flowers in spring. The milky sap can be a skin irritant for some but I've never had a problem with it.
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • RubytooRubytoo Posts: 1,630
    edited 13 January
    The only problem is how much and  how often are you going to have to keep the ivy clear of any planting.
    Will you have time and energy to do it.

    We have an area where I do like to try and keep some ivy for wildlife. But at the same time it does take a bit of extra effort clearing it from the parts of the strip of border where we try to grow other things.
    It does tend to try and take over. Or retake what it thinks it owns.

    Cyclamen don't mind dry.
    C. hederifolium flower in the autumn, can be quite thuggish, so worth a try in / on / up? your wall.
    Will self seed too and spread.

    C. coum is nice for spring, we have some in flower now, they are so cute ( sorry but they are) although they can be overtaken by hederifolium.  So either a separate area or a careful watch is needed or you could lose the coum as time goes by.

    I would say for having some autumn flowers the hederifolium may be useful and ignore coum as you would have other spring things.
     
    Also if you can find it a lovely scented one we have under a dry area with a lot of Taxus roots is  C. purpurascens. Flowering in summer and nicely scented.
    But they can sometimes be difficult to establish. I think they need a bit more moisture. 

    Epimediums might be another plant to try, the deciduous grandiflorum types are the easier ones to grow and establish in dry areas. 
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