Just a little update. Planted some flowers etc today. Wondered if any of you would like to suggest any changes or future purchases
I have, L to R, Hydrangea 'Hot Red', Salvia 'Embers Wish', Pieris 'Passion', Sedum rupestre Angelina, Star Jasmine, Euphorbia, Oriental Lily Maru, Thymus Hartington Silver, Clematis texensis - Princess Diana, Heuchera Fire Chief, Salvia 'East Friesland', Passion flower 'Damsels Delight', Salvia 'Love & Wishes', another Euphorbia I think here, Abutilon megapotamicum (climber + red bell shaped flowers) Houttuynia Flame, Lily Asiatic Majestic Joy and finally a Hyrangea 'Blaumeise'
Wow - that took some typing. Some of the groundcover plants are doubled up.
That's a lovely start. Because your borders are so narrow, you must resist filling in lots and lots of the gaps with so many different plants because ultimately, these plants will last for years and they will fill up and some will just outgrow even what they look like now. A border that long may require some repeat planting. Normally the dependable perennials or even some shrubs or climbers.
Just curious, would you not consider raising the height with another similar sleeper? In terms of scale and the length, (my opinion of course) it feels more natural on the eye when it's a little higher. Why I mention this, the shrubs will spill over in time and you will be trying to pin back so many things that eventually, the lovely woodens sides will be lost. Doesn't necessarily mean you have to fill the soil level higher as this extra height will also act as a nice barrier to things flopping into your lawn in the future.
I'd watch them grow for a while and then as the flowers on those start to go over (or not) begin to look for something else to take over next where you need it. Echinacea or heleniums or rudbeckia or crocosmia or asters will all flower later in summer, for example. Echinacea are not reliably hardy so they may not survive the winter. The white one seems to be the toughest. There are perennial rubeckias and some that are annuals. All of those look great growing with grasses like stipa gigantea or some of the smaller ones
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Thank you. I am resisting just about! I keep looking back at the info cards and how big each plant will potentially spread and grow.
I suppose if things do start spilling over then a good option would be to increase the height, so I'll keep that in mind.
Having said that though, I had intended to hopefully conceal part of the fence with climbers, conceal the horizontal concrete plinth wherever possible at the back of the bed, but then keep the plants nearer the front very low. Even the bedding plants I've looked at grow too high so I've opted more for alpine plants. I was advised to have some plants hanging over the edge of the sleeper and I like the idea of that natural look, so that's what I'm aiming for. I know the two hydrangea bushes will grow large but they cope with hard pruning pretty well from what I've read. I may end up moving the Rhodo from the far end (that was placed there pre-bed)
raisingirl,
Yes that's something I didn't really research too well. Making sure I had staggered flowering times. It was hard enough finding plants that complemented each other colour wise and which would cope with the aspect and my gardening skill level!
However, I did today sow some Rudbeckia seeds I got free with a magazine so they should flower in July/August. I'm looking forward to seeing things coming back next Spring! I had a Lobelia in another part of the garden and I was so thrilled when it actually came back
Looking at the details now thoughStar Jasmine flowers from May to September and being evergreen will hopefully soften that fence somewhat. The Princess Diana apparently from July to October. The Abutilon will be short lived I think, early to late summer whatever that translates as, but it's all trial and error I suppose, especially when it's the first time you've planted a fair amount of plants.
Is Crocosmia the plant that looks like grass but then amazing orange flowers shoot up? If so, my mother has some in her garden that perhaps I could steal
I was looking at the grasses in the gardening centre today. I had originally wanted some Rubra as I love the contrasting red and green but they have none. I do like some of the other grasses but do they die back? The salvia's give a bit of a height contrast but I'm aware I need more.
I'm really enjoying spending my days off barefoot and dirty handed - never thought I'd see the day haha
Is Crocosmia the plant that looks like grass but then amazing orange flowers shoot up? If so, my mother has some in her garden that perhaps I could steal
Could be but it might be best to get some from a garden centre unless your mother knows which crocosmia she has. There's a common one usually called montbretia which is a real thug and spreads everywhere - you won't want that in your relatively confined space. If she is certain it's not that then fine, but don't risk it if she's not sure. There are several smaller and better behaved ones, I have several including 'emily mckenzie' which has striking burnt orange colour flowers and george davidson which is a bit more vigorous than emily and which has clear golden flowers that go really well with a michaelmas daisy (aster) like 'monch', flowering around the same time in September. I've also got 'Cornish Copper' which is taller and very bright orange. 'Lucifer' - which is red and the one you see most often in garden centres - gets very big, although it doesn't spread like montbretia it might be a bit out of scale with your border. They like good drainage and sunshine.
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Is Crocosmia the plant that looks like grass but then amazing orange flowers shoot up? If so, my mother has some in her garden that perhaps I could steal
Could be but it might be best to get some from a garden centre unless your mother knows which crocosmia she has. There's a common one usually called montbretia which is a real thug and spreads everywhere - you won't want that in your relatively confined space. If she is certain it's not that then fine, but don't risk it if she's not sure. There are several smaller and better behaved ones, I have several including 'emily mckenzie' which has striking burnt orange colour flowers and george davidson which is a bit more vigorous than emily and which has clear golden flowers that go really well with a michaelmas daisy (aster) like 'monch', flowering around the same time in September. I've also got 'Cornish Copper' which is taller and very bright orange. 'Lucifer' - which is red and the one you see most often in garden centres - gets very big, although it doesn't spread like montbretia it might be a bit out of scale with your border. They like good drainage and sunshine.
Having googled Montbretia, I'm pretty certain that's what she has! It's fine in her back garden as it's enormous but like you say, disastrous for mine.
I really like the Emily Mackenzie and the George Davidson crocosmia so I'll look out for those. Typically I love the Lucifer one - could I perhaps plant in a container to prevent it getting enormous?
Thank you for all your suggestions, I am most grateful for the advice.
Posts
Hi all
Just a little update. Planted some flowers etc today. Wondered if any of you would like to suggest any changes or future purchases
I have, L to R, Hydrangea 'Hot Red', Salvia 'Embers Wish', Pieris 'Passion', Sedum rupestre Angelina, Star Jasmine, Euphorbia, Oriental Lily Maru, Thymus Hartington Silver, Clematis texensis - Princess Diana, Heuchera Fire Chief, Salvia 'East Friesland', Passion flower 'Damsels Delight', Salvia 'Love & Wishes', another Euphorbia I think here, Abutilon megapotamicum (climber + red bell shaped flowers) Houttuynia Flame, Lily Asiatic Majestic Joy and finally a Hyrangea 'Blaumeise'
Wow - that took some typing. Some of the groundcover plants are doubled up.
That's a lovely start. Because your borders are so narrow, you must resist filling in lots and lots of the gaps with so many different plants because ultimately, these plants will last for years and they will fill up and some will just outgrow even what they look like now. A border that long may require some repeat planting. Normally the dependable perennials or even some shrubs or climbers.
Just curious, would you not consider raising the height with another similar sleeper? In terms of scale and the length, (my opinion of course) it feels more natural on the eye when it's a little higher. Why I mention this, the shrubs will spill over in time and you will be trying to pin back so many things that eventually, the lovely woodens sides will be lost. Doesn't necessarily mean you have to fill the soil level higher as this extra height will also act as a nice barrier to things flopping into your lawn in the future.
I'd watch them grow for a while and then as the flowers on those start to go over (or not) begin to look for something else to take over next where you need it. Echinacea or heleniums or rudbeckia or crocosmia or asters will all flower later in summer, for example. Echinacea are not reliably hardy so they may not survive the winter. The white one seems to be the toughest. There are perennial rubeckias and some that are annuals. All of those look great growing with grasses like stipa gigantea or some of the smaller ones
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
borderline,
Thank you. I am resisting
just about! I keep looking back at the info cards and how big each plant will potentially spread and grow.
I suppose if things do start spilling over then a good option would be to increase the height, so I'll keep that in mind.
Having said that though, I had intended to hopefully conceal part of the fence with climbers, conceal the horizontal concrete plinth wherever possible at the back of the bed, but then keep the plants nearer the front very low. Even the bedding plants I've looked at grow too high so I've opted more for alpine plants. I was advised to have some plants hanging over the edge of the sleeper and I like the idea of that natural look, so that's what I'm aiming for. I know the two hydrangea bushes will grow large but they cope with hard pruning pretty well from what I've read. I may end up moving the Rhodo from the far end (that was placed there pre-bed)
raisingirl,
Yes that's something I didn't really research too well. Making sure I had staggered flowering times. It was hard enough finding plants that complemented each other colour wise and which would cope with the aspect and my gardening skill level!
However, I did today sow some Rudbeckia seeds I got free with a magazine so they should flower in July/August. I'm looking forward to seeing things coming back next Spring! I had a Lobelia in another part of the garden and I was so thrilled when it actually came back
Looking at the details now thoughStar Jasmine flowers from May to September and being evergreen will hopefully soften that fence somewhat. The Princess Diana apparently from July to October. The Abutilon will be short lived I think, early to late summer whatever that translates as, but it's all trial and error I suppose, especially when it's the first time you've planted a fair amount of plants.
Is Crocosmia the plant that looks like grass but then amazing orange flowers shoot up? If so, my mother has some in her garden that perhaps I could steal
I was looking at the grasses in the gardening centre today. I had originally wanted some Rubra as I love the contrasting red and green but they have none. I do like some of the other grasses but do they die back? The salvia's give a bit of a height contrast but I'm aware I need more.
I'm really enjoying spending my days off barefoot and dirty handed - never thought I'd see the day haha
Could be but it might be best to get some from a garden centre unless your mother knows which crocosmia she has. There's a common one usually called montbretia which is a real thug and spreads everywhere - you won't want that in your relatively confined space. If she is certain it's not that then fine, but don't risk it if she's not sure. There are several smaller and better behaved ones, I have several including 'emily mckenzie' which has striking burnt orange colour flowers and george davidson which is a bit more vigorous than emily and which has clear golden flowers that go really well with a michaelmas daisy (aster) like 'monch', flowering around the same time in September. I've also got 'Cornish Copper' which is taller and very bright orange. 'Lucifer' - which is red and the one you see most often in garden centres - gets very big, although it doesn't spread like montbretia it might be a bit out of scale with your border. They like good drainage and sunshine.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Having googled Montbretia, I'm pretty certain that's what she has! It's fine in her back garden as it's enormous but like you say, disastrous for mine.
I really like the Emily Mackenzie and the George Davidson crocosmia so I'll look out for those. Typically I love the Lucifer one - could I perhaps plant in a container to prevent it getting enormous?
Thank you for all your suggestions, I am most grateful for the advice.