Sorry Liz - been outside so didn't see your pic. I'd agree with obelixx. It's a very small area and all the surrounding planting will just make it even harder to get the best from anything too big and 'shrubby'. You'd constantly be fighting the conditions and it's a waste of time, money and effort planting things where they won't thrive.
Why not keep the bench there and surround it with nice low growing, permament planting as suggested? You can add a few scented things in pots if you want to sit there now and again in a shady spot. It would make an ideal spot for contemplating and putting the world to rights.
Sweet peas would do well in that aspect for summer. Spring bulbs will too - and many of them are scented. Plenty of them will be perfectly happy planted in a drier spot, or they can be in pots too
Then cut out a big border somewhere more suitable for a shrub border....
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Ok. Pursuaded! I'll clear the ground soon and put some top soil/manure on. Then this spring I'll plant a couple of plants-skimmia, hellebores etc move some pots there and in the autumn plant some spring bulbs.
Some ferns thrive in dry conditions and that would give you a bit of height. Will look up my plant lists when I get back to my pic to tell you which ones.
'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
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Sorry Liz - been outside so didn't see your pic. I'd agree with obelixx. It's a very small area and all the surrounding planting will just make it even harder to get the best from anything too big and 'shrubby'. You'd constantly be fighting the conditions and it's a waste of time, money and effort planting things where they won't thrive.
Why not keep the bench there and surround it with nice low growing, permament planting as suggested? You can add a few scented things in pots if you want to sit there now and again in a shady spot. It would make an ideal spot for contemplating and putting the world to rights.
Sweet peas would do well in that aspect for summer. Spring bulbs will too - and many of them are scented. Plenty of them will be perfectly happy planted in a drier spot, or they can be in pots too
Then cut out a big border somewhere more suitable for a shrub border....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Ok. Pursuaded! I'll clear the ground soon and put some top soil/manure on. Then this spring I'll plant a couple of plants-skimmia, hellebores etc move some pots there and in the autumn plant some spring bulbs.
Afternoon
I've found a spare hour to do some planning! Hortum-Cretae, why do you say a deciduous azelea and not an evergreen one?
Some ferns thrive in dry conditions and that would give you a bit of height. Will look up my plant lists when I get back to my pic to tell you which ones.
Liz....I don't know H-C's reasons but deciduous azaleas have wonderful autumn coloured leaved. . . .Two seasons of enjoyment.
But then they disappear for the winter
I have both deciduous and evergreen but prefer the deciduous. Some are scented.
My plan! Shame the printers playing up. Skimmia confusa. Hellebores. purple azaelea. Saracocca. Geranium cranesbill. Pieris. Salvias.