Moving more toward perennial/herbaceous planting

You say you have 'clay like' soil.....I guess that means clay? Most of my gardening experience has been on clay soils and I find shrubs and perennials do better on clay than annuals. Roses; I like the shrub roses, do well and look good in mixed borders. Herbs like marjoram and rosemary do well and stay green through the winter with the rosemary flowering early. Japanese anemones, lilly of the valley, cranesbill geraniums, sedums, daffodils, the perennial sweet pea are a few things that are easy on improved clay.

 

Lathyrus latifolia, aka everlasting pea, grows about 1.5m and is pink/purple.

 

Here you go FC the everlasting sweet pea

 

Lavatera isn't as good as it's cracked up to be, FC, they do seem to go tatty and die off after a while. What about Hibiscus syriacus? Makes a good, upright shrub with blue, pink or white, single or double flowers, some with a red or purple blotch in the middle. They self-sow here so I could send you some seedlings. They should establish OK as young plants but will flower at a young age too

 

If of any use. I was completely floundering with my garden due to it being far too big and I'm getting far too old! Took the plunge 3 years ago and laid down teram and bark chip . Ok a beautifully weeded bare soiled bed is far superior BUT it does make an enormonus difference to the time I spend weeding. Since laying the teram I have been able to really enjoy my garden again rather than it being a total battle. I even have enough time/ energy to increase my veg growing. Obviously you can't really use this method with annuals/herbaceous but it works very well on shrub beds. I still have huge herbaceous beds,the trick with them is to close plant,usually the plants will get going before the weeds do...no bare soil is key. Once the herbaceous gets going you can sort of let it get on with it. Yes dead heading/cutting back should (accent on the should! be done) but life can be a bit short to carry this out religiously. I have God knows how many different types of hardy Geraniums, which are great ground cover plants. If you pm me I will attempt to identify which ones I have and could send you some bare rooted at the end of the season.They don't weigh much so all I'd ask for would be the postage which wouldn't be much. I don't have Roseanne.......ridiculously expensive to buy when others are all but as good IMO but do have Johnsons Blue which is very similar. Also have a really pretty double mauve with good foliage,a terrific little doer.
I always remember my late Father (great Rose grower) warning me to never let ones garden become a chore. Yes ok you do need to work hard to make it nice but it must never become a Mill stone at which point the enjoyment flies out the window.
Personally because I have about 2 acres of garden,I grow zero annuals and only grow a few non hardy Geraniums for tubs etc (stored over winter and restarted in the Spring......simples and CHEAP!). If you are careful about what you grow and how it can cut down the maintanence considerably.

 

Tuberous Iris provide year round "interest" and are quite tolerant of clay. Iris japonica is pretty freely available.................




As already suggested the shrubby Salvia such as S.microphylla and the Salvia x jamensis cultivars should do well..................




A bit more exotic but still hardy is Aloe striatula..............

 

Alyone Huegelii, 2 metre shrub with beautiful lilac flowers, will bloom continuously for several months during spring/summer, full sun, still hardy (in the south) so needs to be in a sheltered position.

Perovska blue spire?

I just saw at Homebase yesterday, they still sell some Hibiscus Syriacus for £6

 

@fat controller , I have been watching this thread to improve my appalling knowledge of perennials. Got a few tips already
Just got a mail shot from J Parkers on Alliums this morning . Now these are a lovely late spring early summer plant for container or flower bed. Loads of choice and not too pricey.
http://www.jparkers.co.uk/bulbs-tub...wsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=020916

 

For flowers in Autumn you could go for Solidago ( Golden Rod ), Aster ( Michaelmas Daisy ) and Anemone Japonica ( Japanese Anemones ).