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Raised borders planting inspiration

LLMLLM Posts: 52
in Plants

Looking for some planting inspiration!

We had raised borders built last year and are looking to plant them up this year. The borders are 800mm depth looking for some height, colour and all year round interest. They get sun for a few hours in the summer and it can be a windy spot.

Currently have a few grasses, a eucalyptus (that needs a good trim!) And a hydrangea on the far right.

All ideas welcome, thanks in advance!

Posts

  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    edited 27 January
    @LLM You mention grasses these would be my go to plants. Calamagrostis Eldorado, C Overdam or C Karl Foester. Keep it simple repeat one of these in odd numbers along the length in the gaps uses 'spillers' to soften the look. Avoid anything with deep roots and be prepared to always split and edit your plants over the years. Evergreens are diificult the grasses mentioned will give winter structure. You could look at evergreen ground cover campanulas or Vinca Minor which needs a hard cut back end of February to see it's flowers. 
    I am sure other ideas will follow. 
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    Is your border open to soil below and does it drain well?
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • LLMLLM Posts: 52
    Plantminded said:
    Is your border open to soil below and does it drain well?
    The bottom of the planter has water permeable membrane and it should drain quite well.
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    I assume that the root depth is limited to the height of the raised bed then @LLM. If so, your Eucalyptus is going to struggle after a while, even with regular pruning and coppicing. However, in addition to your grasses and those suggested by @GardenerSuze, there's lots of colourful perennials and annuals that will suit your border. I recommend Verbena bonariensis for height, bees love the flowers which last all summer and beyond, plus Nepeta and Erigeron karvinskianus, perennials which also attract bees and are long flowering, even without full sun. You could also add a couple of obelisks or trellis panels and grow annual climbers like sweet peas, Nasturtiums or Thunbergia, or perennial climbers like Clematis. A couple of evergreen ferns will also give you winter interest, like Polystichum varieties.
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


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