Wanted: plant suggestions

Hi, We're looking for a plant to replace a rather invasive one outside the front door;

Requirements;

Perennial, not a rose (already got over 40)

Height no more than between 1' / 300mm & 2' / 600mm and spread no more than 2' / 600mm

Long flowering period

Full sun position

Light sandy soil

Good scent a bonus

There is a well established Wisteria and Rose close by

We already have quite a few Geraniums and dianthus so would like something different;

Pics or links to pics would help.

 

" Height no more than between 1' / 300mm & 2' / 600mm and spread no more than 2' / 600mm"

For a small area, like that, by the front door I would have a container.

Actually, I would have several, and grow different things for different times of the year and swap them over.

Fushia for the summer perhaps (maybe planted with trailing lobelia). Chrysanthemum for late Summer, Wallflowers or bulbs for the Spring, and a Box topiary or Holly for the drab Winter month.

 

Thanks for the quick response Kristen ............ but ..........
We have very limited space so would not be able to park the containers of plants not blooming, we want something that we can plant and let it do it's thing, minimum maintenance if possible - I'm 74 and Joyce is on Chemo.

 

It would be a hardy fuschia for me, underplanted with spring bulbs. The put some mulch down (but no membrane for the bulbs) and leave it to do its thing!!

 

I would suggest a Hebe, they come in all sizes, are evergreen and flower. Or, for winter interest, Sarcoccoca, again evergreen, but with highly scented, white flowers in January/ February time.

 

For a long flowering period, there is Salvia microphylla (or S. greggii - they are virtually the same). It's the longest flowering plant in my garden, covered in a mass of small red flowers for up to 6 months of the year.

Two other long flowerers are Calamintha nepeta and Origanum laevigatum 'Herrenhausen', they both give off a beautiful aromatic smell when the leaves are crushed.

 

For a small ish plant that flowers for months right through to autumn, self seeds and flowers in the first season. Grows to about 9" high ish. How about the wild wall flower. I scattered some seed last October/November. They germinated and started flowering in April and are still going strong. I dead head, but they produce new flower heads even if I don't. I always have some in the garden.