Help choosing plants!
Laura Sanchez
Posts: 2
Hi there,
I have finally done my garden but I am unsure about what plants to choose as I am quite a new to gardening. I had a picture to post but due to technical problems with the website I can't. I will need to plant on the two beds on the sides of the garden (longest bed is 10 meters). The garden is in London and is south-west facing.
The short bed runs along a low wire fence (I will get it covered with artificial green hedging as it belongs to my neighbours and are a bit fussy).
The long bed runs along a tall and ugly fence that my other neighbours put and that I will like to cover a bit.
I am looking for a modern or Mediterranean-ish look with purple and white colours that is easy to maintain and looks good all year round. I do like repeated patterns and I am trying to stay away from 'busy' borders and bee attracting plants (I don't like them around me and I would like to be able to relax there!). I also don't want plants that grow much taller than the fences to avoid any problems with the neighbours.
I have bought some round box plants and I was thinking about adding some purple alliums and white cyclamens and/or grasses between the round boxes. But my biggest problem is the tall fence as I am not sure what to plant to hide that horrible fence and if the repeated pattern in the shorter border will look boring in a 10 meter border...
I will try to post the picture so it's easier to see.
Please, please,please give me some ideas!!!
Laura.
Posts
Hi Laura - there's a problem with the site which is stopping us from posting pics - the tech team are working on it. In the meantime I'm sure you've given us enough information so that we can make a few suggestions ...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I hate to recommend ivy but it does shoot up fences and can look good all year. Birds love nesting in the stuff. The one problem with ivy is its persistence so you will have to keep it trimmed to stop it taking over. There are some really lovely leaf forms.
Another possibility for the fence is clematis but as you are bee averse you might not want all those flowers.
Some things I like that you might like too...Choisya Ternata Sundance - amazing lime green leaves, slow growing evergreen perennial shrub, very light and beautiful. What about some amazing purple Heuchera? Check out Plantagogo and Heucheraholics for ideas. Also, although it's not year round colour, I love asiatic lilies and they are so, so easy to grow - perennial, amazing colours, pretty foliage. Hard to go wrong with rhododendrons and azaleas (a world of dreamy blues, lilacs, purples and whites to choose from) and you can get them in compact/dwarf form, too. They are hardy and evergreen.
They do attract bees, but not by the million, and the bees are very disinterested in anything but the centre of the flower. I have these next to my patio and am never bothered by the little fuzzy beasts.
There are some stunning low-growing grasses - have a look at Hakonechloa Aureolum (very bright green) and Uncinia Rubra (red) and Elijah Blue ( green, but the more sun it gets, the more blue it goes) and Mondo Grass (black) - I grow all of these successfully and by that I mean I ignore them and they do really well
I envy you - choosing the plants is the fun bit
I'm just redesigning my garden and am having to think about nothing but paths and stones and fencing before I'm allowed to let myself loose on picking plants 
The Mediterranean-ish look you want to achieve is one of my favourite garden designs. I've arranged my own garden in the same style and the best thing is that you can use a lot of accents – big terracotta pots, pergolas, decorative stones, water elements and so on. There are many flowers, herbs and shrubs you can choose from. Plant oleander in a terracotta pot, for example, or olive, fig or lemon tree. Arrange them by the fence and take them inside a greenhouse or indoors when the temperatures drop. This strategy is good considering your low wire fence. Even if you cover it with shrubs, there is no problem to position several potted ornamental trees in front of it. Plant a lot of herbs around – they create a great texture and require little maintenance. Lavender, thyme, sage, oregano – the list of Mediterranean herbs is really big. If you need more ideas and inspiration, take a quick look here https://diananewman.exposure.co/6-types-of-garden-design-to-get-you-inspired. I hope I've been helpful.
God loves a trier Jessica.....
free advertising for your company isn't acceptable here
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
What advertising?
First of all thank you very much for your suggestions. I haven't had time to look at the plants that you have suggested as I am very busy at the moment.
I did say I was going to upload a picture of the garden. The work was still in progress but you can get a very good idea of how it looks like now.
I forgot to say that I have a dog and although she is very good not eating the plants I don't want to risk it with ivy and lilies.
Also I thought about putting two potted bamboos in each side of the long bed. I guess I can keep them from growing over the fence if I prune them regularly. They don't look very mediterranean but I am happy keeping the olive tree, geraniums and rosemary in the sitting area (olive trees and geraniums remind me of childhood holidays at my grandparent's birth town)
Will keep you updated with the progress!