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Advice required for low maintenance raised beds?

FabioFabio Posts: 2
in Plants
I'm having my front drive block paved with raised planters to the rear edges, although the infill will be predominantly gravelled, I'd like to break up the starkness with some cordylines and other similar plants. I'm a complete novice when it comes to plants, so im enquiring about some low shrubby / hardy plants that will last through all weathers and only require occasional trimming and not drop leaves in the gravel or on my drive? I like the manicured neatly trimmed look and wouldn't mind the occasional trimming of a plant to maintain the shape, but not conifers!! Thanks in advance, fabio...

Posts

  • Flower birdFlower bird Posts: 284
    I look after raised beds for a nursing home, some of the shrubs are hydrangeas, azalea, pieris, and a few others which I can't remember off hand, we do have a California lilac and fatsia japonica but they may be too big.......whatever, all these shrubs are pretty low maintenance, we have some blue bells and narcissus planted in there. And just to add a little colour in the summer I put quite a few annual begonias in, they look very nice and once again low maintenance, just a little water when they need it. Hope this is of some help, good idea to look at the labels on shrubs to see how high they grow. Each spring with most of the shrubs I care for I give a prune, I read up on them all to make sure I looked after them properly. I also give a general feed (slow release in the spring and an eracious feed on any acid loving shrubs in the spring). This may sound a lot but believe me it isn't.
  • Flower birdFlower bird Posts: 284
    Not sure if all that is for you fabio, but I hope it may give you a few ideas.
  • SalinoSalino Posts: 1,609

    ..you might like something like this, it's Hebe 'Red Edge', and would be available in most good garden centres, probably about £7-8 .... it's proved very hardy for me, takes no notice of the severe winters and does not shed leaves or need little trimming.   The leaf colour intensifies in cold weather and has little mauve flowers in summer... it gradually spreads into a nice bushy plant like this, after 2 years or so...

    image

     

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,099

    Hebes are a good suggestion as there are loads to choose from. What aspect is your garden Fabio as that will make a difference too?image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • bookmonsterbookmonster Posts: 399

    Rosemary is an excellent low maintenance shrub - it's drought tolerant and evergreen, and can be pruned into a manicured look or left to its own devices. As a positive side effect, it sometimes flowers, and you can use it in cooking!

  • Tropical SamTropical Sam Posts: 1,488

    I like all the above ideas. I would keep the planting to one plant type only. It will make a statement and look good and be low maintenance. The raised bed sounds well draining so a large bed of English Lavender would look and smell wonderfull, esp in summer.

  • FabioFabio Posts: 2
    Thanks guys, all very helpfull!



    I'll be googling images all night now to find out what you're talking about haha!!



    Once things are under way I'll post some pics for your perusal image



    Thank again



    Fab
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