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Rose bed ideas
I was just wondered if anyone could help.
I'm planning on planting-up two island rose beds as in the pic below. I've ordered the roses which will arrive bare rooted sometime in November.....no problem so far.
But, my problem is I need ideas for low growing & compact perennials to plant around the outside margin.....all I can think of so far is Heucheras, but I'm not totally convinced they will fill the bill.
Ideas please!
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are you looking for something to flower with the roses or something for before/after the roses?
In the sticks near Peterborough
Hi David, you could plant low growing bulbs - tete a tete daffs, snowdrops, crocus for early spring before roses start. Low growing hardy geraniums - wargrave pink or Roxanne. Alchemilla mollis is very tolerant but be careful of it self seeding everywhere, euonymus can be kept well trimmed to create a low edge.
Would you have room for a well-trimmed border of lavender?
http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/garden-design/munstead-hidcote-or/78986.html
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Brilliant, thanks...flowering stuff isn't all that important, the roses themselves will be sufficient I think.
Oh, I should have said that when planted, I intend to cover with a 2'' mulch of bark chippings.
PS. Just had a thought that a low box hedge may look okay.
Hi, Dove, I just saw this post from David and had the exact same thought. We seem to keep meeting on the same threads!
David, most things flower to reproduce, but we can use that fact to prolong or prevent flowering, or to encourage the growth that we want. Lavender, Rosemary or Bay (not laurel, sometimes advertised as bay) , the cooking kind, will find the latin name for you shortly if I don't remember it before I finish this post, could all make nice hedges around your roses. From your other posts and that you mention box, I assume that you want a fairly neat, regimented hedge around the perimeter.
Box is very slow growing, so expensive to buy decent sized plants . Lavender, as Dove suggests can make a great low hedge. I have one of of my own that is taller than I would like, but it was planted before I moved here and had never been trimmed before. It is about 18" high to top of foliage, and the flowers sit higher by about 6". It atracts so many insects that it could only be good for your roses. In my experience, people who love roses tend to grow them exclusively, so that insect populations and diseases build up. A hedge will help. Lavender, Rosemary, Bay and others will grow more quickly than box, and will give some protection aganst common rose problems.
I am hitting my pit now,I'm knackered, but will try to get on again tomorrow to explain more.
Hi
the name you're thinking of is Laurus nobilis.
Whatever are you doing up that early on a Monday morning (you don't have to tell us)!
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Dwarf hebes- 'Nana buxifolia' or 'Emerald Globe' will give you a look of box but naturally grow in a ball shape without requiring lots of trimming and clipping. Flowers are white/lilac on buxifolia and attract bees but the structure is the main thing. Both stay small too. I've used them many times instead of box.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I'm doing a similar thing and will use a mix of lavender and box for the headging. Going to try my own box cuttings from existing plants to save cash (and get plenty of them. What roses did you choose - I havent ordered any yet so may have to wait until next year and get the hedging going in thee meantime!
"What roses did you choose - I havent ordered any yet so may have to wait until next year and get the hedging going in thee meantime!"
For one island bed I have chosen 'Royal William' and for the other, 'Yardley Baroque'.
Don't care for mixtures.
That's the one, Dove. Not early, late!
. It's this flippin forum. Time dissappears when I'm on it, there's so much to read!