Front of the house, shade
Julie Lanteri
Posts: 133
Good evening everyone,
i have convinced Mr to do a bit of work around the front door to make it better... I am going to a flower show this weekend and it would be much better if I went with a plan (doesn't mean i can't buy extras, right? ????)
right side is 3,5m x 0,9m; left, same thing but tapering to the corner of the house. North-ish facing, sunlight late afternoon in summer but the gloomy corner never gets any.
I already have 3 small box and 2 holly that I've been training as standard with a head (can't call them lollipop yet...).
I'd like some blue and white flowers, say snowdrops, white daffs, violets, foxgloves, aquilegias, maybe hardy geraniums and japanese anemones, a few ferns/heucheras thingies.
does it sound like it could work?
Could i plant anything up the drainpipe on the left? (it would have to be thornless and not to stick out too much)
Any ideas about the gloomy corner? I'd love a rose, some branches could be trained on the sunnier side further right but would it grow on the shady side too? Anything else that would stay under 2,5m And be happier?
I feel like the right side needs a bigger shrubby thing about 1m. I've seen Euonymus emerald gaiety under the window of a neighbour and it looks nice, or hydrangea? Or something else?
As you can see I'm out of my depth here... Sorry... I know what kind of look I'm after (cottagey with a bit of structure for winter), just not the plants that would fit in (and google and books will never replace experience!)
thanks in advance for your suggestions
Posts
Hi Julie. For your shady corner you could have a Japanese acer - lots to choose from - different colours and different leaf shapes. Japanes anemones would do well but they can be a bit thuggish when established. I love them but am going to have to be a bit brutal this year as they are verging on smothering some smaller plants. Your choices seem fine to me.
Thank you Ladybird. I fell in love with japanese anemones when i went to Barnsdale gardens a few years ago. I didn't even know what they were called back then!
ferns look lovely in a shady corner, i have a shady corner and have recently moved three ferns into it and they are growing really well there, i have three different types in various shades of green, clematis like their roots in the shade and heads in the sun for summer colour climber. I also have japanese anenome and love them but as ladybird says they do spread and pop up everywhere you don't want them but you can always did out the ones you don't want.
Last edited: 17 May 2016 07:50:06
Tetley, we've got a long stretch of fence at the front too and i think a virginia creeper would look great against it, thanks for the suggestion!
thank you sanjy67, i have a few ferns already but they are deciduous... might as well get some evergreen (Different shades of green... Noted!) I'm hoping to get a clematis to hide the drainpipe.
As no one has said no no for the rose, i have two options: creme de la creme and madame alfred carriere. They are both listed as doing well on a north wall, creamy coloured, scented and available from the rose growers 5min away. Any thoughts?
Now i should really get into the garden before little one wakes up from his nap...
Madame Alfred Carriere is great for what you need, I would recommend.
good luck!