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Plants for narrow border

BerkleyBerkley Posts: 431
in Plants
I have a narrow border in front of a well-protected, white,east-facing wall, which gets lots of sunshine. I have planted a climbing rose (Falstaff) which will hopefully provide lots of scent. I was thinking of planting the rest of the border with lavender hidcote - but this is a sheltered patio area, where we often eat. Would bees be a problem? I'd love to hear some other ideas. (We live in Dorset)

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  • flowering roseflowering rose Posts: 1,632

    how lovely to live in Dorset it is a lovely place,Hardy country,my favorite well one of many we visit often.Narrow border is my problem too on one side  but I think that sounds really nice and worth watching the bees also could do nightly scented stock that will give evenings on the patio a lovely scent to sit by .

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,052

    It will attract bees but they are not a problem in the way that wasps might be.   You'd get lovely perfume and butterflies too.

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • Gardening GrandmaGardening Grandma Posts: 1,746

    I once planted a border along the path in my back garden with lavender. It attracted many bees and also hoverflies. I went to the line with a basket of washing one day, wearing a full-skirted summer dress.Within seconds, I was doing the can can all around  the garden, lifting my skirt in a most un-grandma-like way  while shrieking and attempting to give the bees ands hoverflies a way back out of the large tent which had inadvertently enveloped them.

    I took out the lavender. From the border, not merely from under my skirt.  

     

  • Flower birdFlower bird Posts: 284
    I used to have a narrow border. It looked quite nice over the years due to putting different bedding plants in each year. Pansie were the first, then I used bizzy Lizzies , they were lovely but Downey mildew has affected the nations stock and not good to use for a few years, then I planted zonal geraniums, they look really beautiful when planted en mass, very effective. Am sure lavender will attract bees and butterflies etc.
  • chilli loverchilli lover Posts: 290

    Lovely story Grandma image Lavender gets my vote too - love it

  • Gardening GrandmaGardening Grandma Posts: 1,746

    Well, as you can imagine, it doesn't get mine! I woudn't want  to attract bees and hoverflies to an area where I sit and eat. I'd vote for my favourite plants and go for a mixed herbaceous border. It depends whether one wants neatness or a romantic mass of billowing plants, I suppose, but with a border full of perennials, one can get a long season of colour and just sheer beauty without actually having to make much effort at all beyond planting and feeding and eventually dividing them. They'd suppress weeds and be fascinating to look at. I have two very long, narrrow borders planted in this way and the plants create an impression of a wider border as the plants spill forward, softening the straight edge of the border as well.

  • BerkleyBerkley Posts: 431
    Thank you for all the ideas. It made me think about what I really wanted. For this first year I'll try just a few lavenders, some pelargoniums and dianthus. Then I can plant bulbs and wallflowers. I promise to wear long trousers and will post a photo later in the year. Thanks again.
  • elydavidelydavid Posts: 2

    GG

    Can you put a video of the can can on youtube please. 

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