Ideas for shady front garden....

Hi everyone,

With the back garden under control now I'm turning my attention to the front garden. When we moved in it was already planted and actually I quite liked it. After six years it's now looking a little tired and needs some attention (see pics). I've also included a plot showing the original planting scheme, supplied by the builder.

It's north facing, clay, slightly acidic sub soil and I'm based in Hampshire, UK.

As you can see the garden to the right side of the house (as you look at it) has faired better than the left. I think some of the azaleas died in the very cold winter of a few years ago. The Ilex Crenata looks like its dead or dying and a lot of the other plants have died on the left hand side. I'd like to provide a refreshed design but keep things that are doing OK in place. The Begenia's are getting a bit out of hand but I'm guessing I can thin those out? I quite like the Muscari but I think that might need rejuvenating too.

I mistakenly planted some sun loving grass at the side of the path leading up t the door, which has obviously died due to it being the wrong plant for the location.

Can anyone recommend some planting ideas and/or maintenance suggestions?
I'd quite like the majority of the planting to be evergreen in some form so that theres structure there all year. I also love the lush look and really love grasses like Hakonachloa, however I know these are deciduous. I guess the Muscari has a similar form. I'm thinking about reaplacing the Ilex Crenata with Yew Balls, which I have also planted in the back garden.

Any help and recommendations are all very appreciated.

Many thanks,

Ed

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I would start by removing all plants that have failed or are not doing well. Both borders look quite tightly packed so check the natural height and spread of your remaining plants and reposition them accordingly.

Bergenias can be easily thinned by division and replanting. Although Hakonechloas are deciduous, they still look good over winter in their dried form. They just need to be cut to ground level in February and they will soon regrow. An alternative grass is Sesleria autumnalis which is evergreen, neat, dome shaped and will tolerate shade and clay soil if it doesn’t get waterlogged.

Evergreen shrubs that you could consider include Euonymus, available in green and variegated forms, can be grown as specimen shrubs or low hedging, and Mahonia, try “Winter Sun” or “Charity” for winter flowering. Camelias should also do well in that location. You could also try a small Phormium like “Cream Delight” which will grow happily in shade, just more slowly. You may need to improve drainage for all the plants mentioned above by incorporating some organic matter.

Another thought, have you considered removing those small lawn areas to expand your planting?

 

Just a side note, @machtucker, I wouldn’t show pictures with a car number plate. Maybe you can delete it and upload an edited version.

 

Absolutely! Thanks, I hadn’t noticed that.

 

Thankyou very much for your ideas. I will definitely check out those plant recommendations. I hadn’t really thought about using the grass area either. That could be an idea longer term, I’d need to make sure the planting was low level as I like to look out of the window whilst sitting at my desk from time to time.

 

Hi @machtucker

Presumably you don't want something big that would shade your windows, like a fatsia, so here are some shorter plants that have done well for me, in my North facing border (with clay soil):

• Carex. I have some "Everlime" ones and the variegation just lifts them up a bit without it being too much. Evergreen, easy to care for and divide.
• I love Brunnera, I have a couple of "Jack Frost" ones and might add one more.
• Hellebores.
• Heucherella "Brass Lanterns".

(I have refrained from adding hostas to the list because they are so appealing to slugs).

 

That planting plan shows what I've always felt with new builds that everything is planted way too close together.

Maybe its me but that planting plan doesn't mention the heather you look like you have at the back by the windows.

I'd personally go for low maintenance shrubs that like clay soil. Viburnum, dogwoods, spotted laurels for all year round structure with Bergenias or Vinca (although may be too invasive) planted underneath for ground cover.

I'd rip that lawn up as well personally as it serves no purpose.

Bit of improvement to the soil you could also have some nice ferns or ladies mantle, bit of chipped bark as a mulch, would look lovely in the summer but they do die back in the winter months.

 

I can't be sure but is that a manhole cover in the small lawn to the left ? If it is and you want to replace the grass with planting remember to allow the cover/drain to be accessed easily should you need to.

 

I have a north facing border planted with variegated euonymus (against a wall), bergenia, fuchsia, pulmonaria, hellebores and ferns. I also have hydrangea Annabelle but after 10 years has gotten quite large - 1.5m x 1.5m so may be too big for that area.