Butler sinks in a shady area

NessaJ, its fine...just shows how keen and enthusiastic you are

 

I still think hardy Fuchsias could play a role, and now that you want height as well how about a " Lady Boothby " growing up a tripod type thing.

 

Some nice photos here, have a look through something might catch your eye, personally I think alpines and gravel look nice in the sinks but every ones taste is different.
plants for belfast sink - Google Search

 

Agree Martin-f if the sinks were in full sun.....
My own sinks were originally intended for choice alpines but I was new to it all then and I chose poorly. You have inspired me though to plant up a couple this autumn

 

There's plenty of shade loving Alpines Verdun, its something ive been reading up on, ive made a decision to turn my borders into mainly alpines,

Ajuga, Aquilegia, Brunnera, Campanula, Cyclamen, Epimedium, hardy ferns, Lysimachia, Omphalodes, Pulmonaria, Soldanella, Tellima, Tiarella, Vinca and Viola are just some of the shade tolerant alpine plants and rockery plants that you can grow.

 

Martin, those are not really the sort of alpines I refer to. Those are really ground cover plants.

I mean the true alpine plants, like the little saxifrages, sempervivums, lewisias, androsaces and miniature versions of others.

Concerning rockeries, for every 5 I see 4 are simply ground covering perennials smothering a few stones. Be careful martin because some of the plants you mention are invasive or colonising types.....lysimachia, vinca, some of the campanula for example! A true rockery needs careful placement of stone, the use of the same stone and plants to complement not overwhelm that stone

 

Ness's, your sinks sound lovely, and I can understand why you would want to display them. Another thought could be putting some pots standing in the sinks. If you have trailing plants spilling over the pots they might disguise the pots whilst still showing off the sinks below. As to which plants, the lovely experts on here will know which pot-based shade-dwelling trailers might work!

 

Sorry.... autocorrect! Nessa

 

Maybe Nessa could stick some water in the sinks and pop in a few small pond plants - that would encourage frogs who in turn would keep the slugs down a bit.....slugs like cool shady places

 

Tatters, is that yours? It's lovely! Seriously tempted....

 

Is that scirpus ...optica (cant remember its last name ) ...the optical grass Tetters? I have been growing one in a pot, kept watered but you have yours in water? Looks better than mine so I have just placed a saucer under mine now. We live and learn all the time :rasp:

 

My Scirpus is growing in the pond - not a very clear image, it`s up on the right beyond the water lily leaves, it is a marginal and has done well there.
The sink picture is one I pinched, just to give the general idea.
My next water project involves an old hip bath I dug out of the rubbish.....I`ll show you....


This is a shady and forsaken corner which is quite ugly, and it ends up looking green and miserable as winter progresses. I am determined to turn it into a ''joy'' by this time next year.......wish me luck

 

Good luck indeed Tetters
Will you plunge it into the ground?"
You could chip the enamel, brush with glue and then cover with cement mix??
I have a feeling you will do something rather special with it

 

Well, I`m waiting for a cloud of inspiration to find me at the moment....it won`t be plunged into anywhere - all the drains are under there. The bath is broken at the bottom, so I`ve bought a liner for it. I also have a small pump.....the rest will evolve as and when.

Oops, sorry Nessa, I reckon I just pinched your thread :sorry:

 

It's quite alright Tetters, pinch away

I've done my two sinks, very helpful guy in a little nursery and we selected some plants between us. I know the euonymus may get too big but I'll try keeping it clipped for a while and see if I can get away with it. And the campanula may not survive but I liked the little injection of colour. Overall I'm really happy with them as they are not plants that I would usually choose. Thanks for all the advice.