Is 12" deep enough for roses? :(

I would have put them on the dividing line between you and the neighbours.
If you sit out there on those seats you wont see them.

 

Tell him he's got no imagination! They'll look lovely when they're planted up

 

He probably has got an imagination, that's why he said it.

 

Tried them there pete but they looked sort of plonked and abandoned. I can see them everytime I come up or down the path though - and will get another box without a trellis, to make into a rock garden. That can go in the middle, break up that awful stretch of gravel.

 

Whatever looks good to you is what matters.

 

I just wish they didnt look like single beds or graves............

 

Well they are flower beds.

I think Clematis would work as a climber and the edges of the beds can be softened with trailing plants.

 

Ok will look into them, never grown it. Last house was too high and open and it always died on me. I was wondering too, about sweet peas but have never had them either.

 

Sweet Peas would work or you could try Cobaea, or Ipomoea (Morning Glory).

 

Needs to be fully hardy Sheal cos that bit is in the house shadow until 11am-ish and gets very cold some mornings. West facing so gets sun until late on for the rest of the day.

 

All on hold now. Because of a major problem
- ie I have changed my mind and don't like the trellis. To be continued at a later date when I know what the hell I am doing.

 

For extra depth why not knock the bottom off one and put it on top of the other to make a single deep unit.
Probably still not deep enough for a climbing rose but smaller ones like patio or smaller floribundas might work.

 

Going for the topless look now. The wee darker coloured box in the middle has now been shifted. The trellises will be fixed to the house wall round the back, and climbing roses planted under them.

 

That sounds a good solution. Will the roses be in the ground?
I have grown climbing roses in 60cm pots but they need a lot of feeding and watering.

 

In the ground Lizzie, I have a border that needs filled up anyway and wanted to use climbing plants as an extra layer. Got good soil round there too, am finding things grow well as it's sheltered.