Shady front garden woes!

Emma Bowker

8 years ago

What would you do with this tired, shady front garden in North West England?

Featured Answer

PRO

Lynn Hill Garden Design

8 years ago

Hi Emma, when planning you garden I suggest some structure
in your approach. You know it is shady but it is also useful to know if the
soil tends to be dry or moist. Many plants are adaptable to the soil pH but
others have preferences for acidic, neutral or alkaline soils. This may sound
complicated but it is easy to work out, pH soil testers are readily available from
garden centres and easy to use. You will now have the information needed for
looking for plants (shade, soil moisture and soil type) which is normally
included on the labels. The RHS website is also a good source of reference.

As Garden Designers, we normally think of planting as
layers. First is the structure. Evergreen shrubs are good for this and Viburnum
tinus ‘Gwenlian’ is a great plant for shade that flowers in the winter and can
be cut back so it doesn’t get too big. Sarcococca is another favourite which
also flowers in winter and smells divine, perfect for beside a path. Next is
the mid layer. Aquilegia and Hellebores are good examples to use. Then we have ideas
for the ground cover, such as Bergenia, Heuchera and Viola odorata which smells
of sweet violets, Lovely!

As it’s quite a small space, be careful not to plant
anything too invasive. You want plants that behave themselves. I find that
staff at local nurseries tends to have a wealth of knowledge about plants, as
they grow them. Garden Centres tend to stock plants that look good at the time
of sale rather than with year round interest. So I’m sure a chat with a local
nursery will help you find the plants you need.

You mentioned adding chips over your pathway. I’d advise
against that as chips are ok for occasional use, but they can easily become a
pain as they shift about as you walk on them. It would also make wheeling you
bins in and out rather tricky. If the slabs do need to stay, then giving them a
good power wash and allowing some groundcover plants to spill onto then will freshen
them up and soften the look. Good luck and enjoy your garden!

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Comments (10)

Tom Flanagan
8 years ago
Hi Emma! Are you thinking a slight facelift or a bigger project? Depending on your budget, I'd think about getting some paving done and start zoning the front into areas i.e. plants, path etc.

As a start though, I reckon just a quick tidy up and maybe figure out a way to disguise the bins a little? Some plants on the window sill and maybe invest in a wall feature, either a little bell or hanging plants to go next to the door! Just a little food for thought :)
Emma Bowker
Original Author
8 years ago
Hi

We're already in the midst of facelifting the woodwork, sills and frames, the awful bins have been banished to the back garden and there'll shortly be a 4ft wooden fence to finally define the boundary. The concrete path will have to stay but we'll likely cover this with chipped slate (thoughts?).

Not sure how to plant the two areas, whether to go cottage garden, beachy grasses, dense shrubbery or something more formal. It spends most of the day in the shade, only getting the early morning sun.
User
8 years ago
Here's a few suggestions for shade loving plants that any garden centre should stock. If it is a shady garden it will be pointless buying plants that need good sun as they wont flourish and will soon die. If these don't take your fancy just ask for shade loving plants at your local garden centre.
Fatsia Japonica
Hydrangea 'Madame Emile Mouillè
Skimming Japonica
Emma Bowker
Original Author
8 years ago
They're lovely, thank you for the recommendations.
Trevor Baker
8 years ago
decorative stones/pebbles and potted plants would look good in a small area. difficult to make a small patch of grass look attractive
User
8 years ago
Here's a few low growers
Lungwort
Vinca
Cyclamen
There are lots more and you can make it really pretty as many of them will be white too which adds sparkle to any garden. Just make sure you get a mix of evergreen shrubs and then intersperse with perennials (they come back year after year)
Any ferns are good too as they add lovely texture and you can get all different heights. Good luck.
PRO
Architectural Plants Ltd
8 years ago
If it's damp shade then Ferns are a great idea. You could also go for Aucuba which would be a good screen as it gets large but can be cut back. Box like the shade and look good in pots too. You could line your path with box hedging. Keep it simple, the more types of plants you use the bigger mess it looks in a small space. Follow the link for plants that are suitable for damp shade http://www.architecturalplants.com/plants/search/cGxhY2U9NDk.

If its dry shade then change the search on our site.
PRO
ann balmforth GARDEN DESIGNS
8 years ago
You haven't said whether your soil is alkaline/acidic/neutral, and clay/chalk/sand/loam, but you could also try Pachysandra terminalis, Hellebores (red, pink, white) and aquilegia. (http://www.crocus.co.uk)
T J
8 years ago
i would make a bin shed for the wheelie bins and paint it and the fences black so it all blends in, pave the front, then arrange the space with colourful containers for plants and shrubs for low maintenance....or have the paths taken up and put back down again, jet washed and dig the ground and fill it with flowers that smell lovely as you walk past them....