Border advice please

5 years ago

Im hoping someone can help advise on what to do with a couple of my garden borders, I just can't decide what would look best/grow best etc.

The borders face East and North. In one border I've planted roses and lavender, but the lavender isnt really thriving, it just looks rather sad. Roses are happy but obviously don't provide much year round interest.

The other border has a small slope, Ive just planted some laurel bushes along the fence line but would like to put some low maintenance shrubs in front, but I'm not sure what......

Any advice is much appreciated. Thank you

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

PRO
Peter Reader Landscapes
5 years ago
Hi Michelle

These are both relatively tough spots for many plants as they are shaded and in the case of the one by the house will tend to not get much water as the house 'shades' it from the rain.

Therefore the first thing I would recommend is improving the soil by digging in a lot of well rotted farmyard manure or similar. This not only feeds the soil and plants, but also helps hold water in the soil.

In relation to the 2 beds - firstly the one by the wall. Lavender needs full sun to look good and quickly looks leggy and flowers poorly in spots like yours. The key message is 'right plant, right place'. Medium size shrubs like Pittosporums cope with shade and are evergreen and give year round interest and structure. One call 'Golf ball' stays a nice rounded shape for below a window. Flowering perennials that give good value in part sun are hardy Geraniums - one called 'Rozanne' flowers all summer and also Astrantias which give 2 rounds of flowers (spring and autumn) which last for a long time. The latter do prefer not to dry out though so they would need to be kept moist. It would be nice to screen the wall a bit, so a wall shrub that you can prune to keep in order like Pyracantha would serve well. Again it is evergreen and has spring flowers and autumn berries. The other perennials listed below would also work.

On the second bed I am going to be annoying and say 'you don't want to do that', in relation to planting the common laurel hedge. These are big bully plants that will quickly fill nearly the whole depth of your bed and will really compete with any shrubs you put in front. Because of the big leaves they are also hard to clip to a narrow hedge that is more controllable. You might try Prunus lusitanicus, Yew or even just privet. Again as regards plants you want shrubs that can tolerate being in the shade. Good evergreen ones are Chiosya (white flowers twice a year), Viburnum tinus (white flowers in winter), Pittosporum Elizabeth. These shrubs do get big, so you could just use them and not plant the hedge at all. A good small shrub is Sarcococca confusa which has very scented flowers in February. Deciduous shrubs might be Viburnum plicatum 'Kilimanjaro' (white spring blossom and good autumn foliage), Viburnum opulus compactum (white blossom, berries and good autumn colour) or Fothergillia major. Consider using perennials like Hellebores, ferns, hardy geraniums, heucheras and euphorbias to underplant and fill in space at the front of the bed.

Good luck with it!
Michelle D thanked Peter Reader Landscapes
rachelmidlands
5 years ago
Great advice from above comment. I’d take out the lavender and give the roses a good mulch of manure and compost. I also recommend geranium Rozanne as it’s easy to look after and has a long flowering period. Personally I think the laurels are planted too close to the fence, they need to be a least a foot away from it and they will grow quite large, they are very adaptable however so when they mature you can take the lower branches off and keep them pruned in a lollipop style. The primroses are looking lovely. Another good fuss free spring flowering plant for shade is pulmonaria (lungwort), bees love it!
Michelle D thanked rachelmidlands
Related Discussions
Open Plan Kitchen & Living Area Advice Please...
Q
Comments (4)
A few things I would change from experience...instead of a single and double door I would spend the extra money and put in a bifold corner section...would open up the space so much more. as for the kitchen...completely flip your design...put your breakfast bar closer to the window...make it large and multipurpose with the hob in it and then put your main band of cabinets either left, right or behind? We have recently restructured our existing cabinets to this layout and put in new countertops and it works far better than before!
...See More
plan dilemma - advice please
Q
Comments (0)
Our builder suggested we get rid of the sittingroom walls and leave only the wall between the sittingroom and kitchen so we would in effect be walking from front door into the open plan sittingroom room. What do you guys think? We will not be having the stairs yet until we convert the attic in the future
...See More
Dining table advice for my new modern kitchen. Can anyone help please?
Q
Comments (0)
Have lots of space and am looking for 8 seater min, with perhaps extending to 10. Rectangular or Circular, but think rectangular would work best. Kitchen pic is of showroom, my kitchen is being fitted at the moment. I have wood effect tiles in bleached blonde on the floor and have chosen a very modern over table light. Thanks in advance.
...See More
Living room decor - advice please
Q
Comments (0)
I live in a rented property so unfortunately I’m not permitted to paint the walls. I’m stuck with a boring magnolia on the walls in the living room. The floors are a light wood and the sofas are dark brown leather. I have bought this rug - see photo. I would like to add some nice curtains and cushions to make the room warm and cosy but I’m not sure what colours to go for. Any advice much appreciated, thank you.
...See More
Michelle D
Original Author
5 years ago
Hi Peter and Rachel

Thanks very much for your thoughts and comments, really good ideas, I hadn't thought about some of those plants, so will definitely be looking at those.

Thanks

Michelle

Border advice please

Comments (3)

Peter Reader Landscapes

rachelmidlands

Related Discussions

Michelle D
Original Author

COMPANY

EXPLORE HOUZZ

CONNECT WITH US

Border advice please

Comments (3)

Peter Reader Landscapes

rachelmidlands

Related Discussions

Michelle DOriginal Author

COMPANY

EXPLORE HOUZZ

CONNECT WITH US

Michelle D
Original Author