I'd recommend hardy early perennials and I'd echo loads of spring bulbs to help with interest early on too. Geraniums are a sure fire winner, Topbird's suggestion of Anne Folkard is a great one - good strong colour which would work well with your roses, and although it can be a nuisance, alchemilla looks tremendous with AF because of the colour. I used both with euphorbias in a previous garden and one or two evergreens like that will give you more winter interest. Some of the grasses like carex evergold would work well, and good old euonymous will give some year round foliage as a backdrop. I'd personally not use lavender -it rarely looks good up here in our wet climate!
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Susan the roses I planted in my little rose garden are named after my own mum and my mother-in-law, both now departed, and there is also one with the same name as my son, I like to think the two grandmas are side by side watching over their grandson.
Good luck with yours, you certainly have lots of ideas to go on.
“Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?” —Betsy Cañas Garmon
More fantastic suggestions and it's lovely to hear about the other memorial gardens or just plants.
I do have a few lavender - as you say Fairygirl, they don't thrive here, though I'm experimenting with varieties and positions. On the other hand, alchemilla mollis is all over the place so I regard it as a weed but it really is a lovely versatile plant.
I'll take a look at the Roserie de l'Haie and the other varieties that have been suggested, the Anne Folkard and some spring bulbs and see how the space goes.
Am rubbing my hands together in glee and anticipation
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I'd recommend hardy early perennials and I'd echo loads of spring bulbs to help with interest early on too. Geraniums are a sure fire winner, Topbird's suggestion of Anne Folkard is a great one - good strong colour which would work well with your roses, and although it can be a nuisance, alchemilla looks tremendous with AF because of the colour. I used both with euphorbias in a previous garden and one or two evergreens like that will give you more winter interest. Some of the grasses like carex evergold would work well, and good old euonymous will give some year round foliage as a backdrop. I'd personally not use lavender -it rarely looks good up here in our wet climate!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Susan the roses I planted in my little rose garden are named after my own mum and my mother-in-law, both now departed, and there is also one with the same name as my son, I like to think the two grandmas are side by side watching over their grandson.
Good luck with yours, you certainly have lots of ideas to go on.
More fantastic suggestions and it's lovely to hear about the other memorial gardens or just plants.
I do have a few lavender - as you say Fairygirl, they don't thrive here, though I'm experimenting with varieties and positions. On the other hand, alchemilla mollis is all over the place so I regard it as a weed but it really is a lovely versatile plant.
I'll take a look at the Roserie de l'Haie and the other varieties that have been suggested, the Anne Folkard and some spring bulbs and see how the space goes.
Am rubbing my hands together in glee and anticipation