New border - front this time!

samwiltshire1136145 · 1 February

Hi everyone. After the great advice I was given last time I thought I would ask again for ideas for our front border. It will completely be empty as I am removing the roses (sorry for rose fans but I just find them annoying to care for) and the euonymus is going to move inbetween the two already there infront of the bay window.

The front of the house is south facing, we are also on sand so it drains very very quickly. The border is about 1m deep and 5m long. I have so many plants as went a bit crazy last year (some in the ground, some in pots) that mostly all will need moving from what I’ve learnt.

Plants I already have are…

bay tree
flamingo salix
cordyline (thinner green variety)
olive trees
camelia japonica
fatsia japonica
fatsia spiders web
black lace elderberry
pittosporum golf ball
pittosporum tobira nanum + a variegated version
2 x dwarf pieris jap Mountain fire sense
hebes
white hydrangea mac
aucuba japonica
a few Choisya de witteana
rosemary (Tumbling type)
philadelphus maculatus sweet clare
viburnum tinus

if you saw my last post my back garden only has narrow borders so anything I can keep fairly small and would suit a bit more shade might be a good to leave for the back

any ideas welcome!

samwiltshire1136145 · 1 February

Good god. Reading that back, I’ve definitely got a few too many plants 🙈😂

Loxley · 1 February

Yes you already have too many plants for that space. By a process of elimination I would pick from the following.

pittosporum golf ball
pittosporum tobira nanum + a variegated version
hebes
white hydrangea mac
a few Choisya de witteana
rosemary (Tumbling type)
philadelphus maculatus sweet clare

For example, plant two Choisya, then the Hydrangea, then another Choisya. Stuff some tumbling Rosemary and Hebes along the front.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/5j/sbu0b9wd31du.png

GardenerSuze · 1 February

@samwiltshire1136145 That is all you need something really simple. Not a good idea to go the 'kitchen sink' route.

samwiltshire1136145 · 1 February

@Loxley thanks very much! Will the hydrangea be ok with that amount of sun and soil?

It is A LOT of plants but that is what I have for my back garden borders and pots too!

samwiltshire1136145 · 1 February

@GardenerSuze what do you mean by the kitchen sink route?

GardenerSuze · 1 February

Sorry @samwiltshire1136145 an old saying in other words planting lots of different plants. A border always works better if you plant and repeat plants even if your border is small. Very difficult if you are a plantaholic and want to have ago at everything.

I really must remember my age! Suze

Loxley · 2 February

The hydrangea may struggle a bit with the sandy soil and full sun until established, but if you plant it near the tap it may benefit from a little overspill whenever you fill a watering can.

My mum has some in a very dry spot and they cope OK, but they are well established.

I can actually see that the tap drips slightly, wetting the wall. Which would be good for the hydrangea but maybe not the wall!

didyw · 2 February

I would definitely attach a short hose to that tap to divert the drips away from the wall. Perhaps with the hose leading to the hydrangea to give it more of a chance. And leave a way to the planter under the window (or remove it). The pittosporum should do well - they thrive in my sandy soil. Rather too well - the two shrubs I planted are now trees.

New border - front this time!

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