Suggestions For Wall Plant Beginner

Please can someone help.

I am a complete novice gardener and have recently built a new front wall that is also a flower bed. I spent the last 6 months putting flowers in the wall that would last a few months then I replaced them with new.

I would like to plant some colourful flowers in the wall that will last and that are well suited. Also is it possible that they will grow each year rather than need replacing?

The wall is in a mostly sunny spot and is about 3mtrs long.

Thanks for your help, Pic now attached.

Nick

 

Ohhh! Lots of different things could do well in there. Because the wall will warm up in summer, and there’s not a lot of soil to hold moisture, I would go for Mediterranean drought-tolerant plants. Maybe you need to raise the soil level a little, so that it’s just a cm or two below the top of the brick?

It looks like the sort of wall people might sit on, whilst having a chat, so I’d go for various thymes. They will cope with the drought, and occasional bruising from a perched bottom. Lots of dainty little flowers that the bees will love, and different foliage colours to keep year-round interest. A few spring bulbs, like crocus and snowdrops, could push their way through in the early spring too, and their foliage would not detract too much later in the season. Possibly a geranium sanguinium (sp.) to add a larger flowering interest?

I’m sure you’ll get lots of other suggestions too!

 

Hi Nick,



I've got a wall and I've gone for the classic mix of Aubrieta, Alyssum Saxatile and Cerastium Tomentosum. They tumble over the wall and male a terrific splash of colour from around early March through to July, although the Aubrieta and Alyssum can also flower in Autumn as well.

 

Welcome, Nick! I like Sian's suggestion of thymes, here are two of my favourites.

This one has variegated foliage with lovely pink flowers in Summer. Nice 'lemonade' scent.

Thymus 'Doone Valley' (v) | thyme 'Doone Valley'/RHS Gardening

thymus doone valley flowers - Google Search:

This one is taller and perhaps not as interesting to look at, but the scent of the foliage is just gorgeous to my nose!

Manor Farm Herbs: Orange thyme

Geranium is also a good idea but I would go with cinereum, there are some really pretty varieties out there and they are pollinator-friendly.

Buy geranium Geranium (Cinereum Group) 'Thumbling Hearts'

Geranium cinereum 'Ballerina'

Geranium subcaulescens 'Giuseppii' | grey cranesbill 'Giuseppii'/RHS Gardening

If it were my wall I would keep it simple and just use one type of plant, maybe alternate plants along the bed. Easy but impactful.

Nick

 

Like Aubretia in that kind of position but I would add sedums and delosperma cooperi.

 

How about Erigeron Mexican Fleabane. A profusion of small white daisy like flowers tinged with pink and insect friendly, it's so pretty, one of my favourite plants. It's tough as old boots, has a long flowering period and low maintenance. You could mix it with some of the other excellent choices that have already been suggested.

 

I would have a prostrate rosemary in the mix, useful, smells good, insects love it and it has a long flowering season. I would also put some short stemmed tulips in, they will like the warmth and dry conditions in the summer. Snowdrops might struggle in the same conditions, they like cooler soil conditions and don't like getting too dry.

 

Sorry, I should have clarified - I’d put the snowdrops in the shade that the tree to the right, or the large shrub (forsythia/weigelia?) to the left, will provide in the summer....
I manage to grow snowdrops in my south-west facing and sloping sandy soil, though to be sure they are much slower to bulk up than they would do in more optimal conditions.
I just think they are such a beautiful little flower, and the ability to study them “up close and personal”, when raised up in the wall, seems too good an opportunity to miss.