What to put in border?

Hi all

My garden is a bit of a building site right now but work is in progress and I'm thinking I'll be ready to start sowing next month.

I have some space around the edge of my garden between the fence and the sleepers and also underneath some lleylandii which is currently just filled with dirt.

I'm looking for some advice about what seeds to sow in the spaces I've mentioned above. Ideally I'd be sowing a perennial which I can sow outside in September and is quite tough to stand up to the elements.

I've done lots of googling and I can get a list of Hardy perennials, a list of seeds I can sow in autumn and a list of seeds which are easy to look after but getting a list which satisfy all the criteria is a touch more difficult.

Any suggestions? Are perennials a good idea for the space or would you do something different?

 

Hi and Welcome to the Forum,

We need a clue as to which direction is south so we know what gets the most sun / shade.

For under the conifers you will always have a problem with dry soil and most of the goodness drained out by them, so some really tough plants for the soil or use pots for plants needing better conditions.

Looks like you have a border either side of the central path, but we really need to know more of what you are after ?

Child and Pet safe / friendly ? Football tough ?
Easy maintence, perennials or more colourful annuals or a mix of both ?
Any particular theme, Roses, Climbers, Small trees/Shrubs
Mixing in fruit and veg ?

Don't forget bulbs for spring and summer.

Many of the big online suppliers do collections of young perennial plants but usually advertised/supplied in the winter/spring.

 

Hi

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

If I am walking down the path towards the conifers in the picture I would be walking east. The two areas surrounded by sleepers on either side of the path will be sown with grass seed for some greenery.

The very narrow strip between the fence and the side of the sleepers which leads up past the trampoline to the conifers - this is the area I had planned to put some perennial seeds in. I say seeds because I'm not sure I want to spend extra money on plants that may well end up dying.


In summary I need:

Kid and pet friendly (local cats)
Suited to clay soil
Will survive the cold (live in Scotland)
Will flower year after year
Ideally would add colour
Ideally would attract bees
South facing at fence
West facing at conifers
No plans to grow fruit & veg

I imagine there will be some trade offs with the above list but I'd like to grow plants that are naturally suited to where I'm placing them to increase the chances of success and minimise upkeep.

Thanks

 

Hi,

Right thought those beds were for the plants, not the narrow strips between them and the fence.

In all honesty that 300mm ? of space is hardly enough for any decent plants, unless you want to use just very small ones, many plants need so much more space and would soon overhang your grassed area.

You could get away with climbers like clematis or rose etc which could be tied up agaist the fence or use small plants like Begonias or bulbs like daffs etc.

Sowing perennial seeds direct into the soil can work but we would not recommend it, plus it will be the following year before many such plants would actually be any size and in flower.
Quick growing annual seeds can be readily sown direct, though most too late for this year.

Much better to buy perennial plants in the next month or two or in spring, no reason why they should not do well ?!

Is the grassed area just for show or will folk be parking themselves on it ?
If just for show we would say make it a narrow bed from the path and a wider one for the plants, though your choice.

If you do not watch it already, Beechgrove (BBC Scotland Thursdays)is all about your local climate and the plants that do well. its on catch up as well so you can see the earlier program.

 

Welcome Grace. It is too late to sow seeds in the ground this year here in Scotland, whether for perennials or annuals. If they germinated the seedlings would soon be destroyed by the cooler weather and/or frost that is not far off.

I agree with Ricky it would be better to buy perennial plants. Check that what you buy will cope with low temperatures over winter.

 

Yes it is quite narrow but though I'd be able to do something with it, other than hand it to the weeds that is.

The plans for the grass were just to use it for lying down in the summer on one side and on the other side install some washing poles. I'm hoping the grass can take that kind of traffic.

I like the thought of having some colour cover the grey wood of the fence so roses sound like a great idea.

I was hoping to get away with sowing seeds but sounds like planting will be the way to go.

Thanks

 

Weigela's are hardy and there are dwarf varieties available. Pictures below although I'm not suggesting you buy from Parkers.

Weigela Dwarf All Summer Collection | J Parker Dutch Bulbs

 

It is very difficult to do much with such a narrow border like ricky has mentioned . I would add a climbing plant or 2 to the fence , A rose would be more suitable than a clematis because clematis like there feet in the shade but still maybe worth a go, not all roses have thorns either.

Grasses would look really nice even if it all one species like carex evergold could plant ophiopogon with the carex also . If you want to grow more flowers could look at salvia's lots to pick from but caradonna is a favourite of mine - agastache kudus series - nepeta walkers low / junior walker - geums bosaii / others - heuchera lots to pick from - alchemilla are dead easy more of filler - some agapanthus - penstemons maybe - crocosmia lots to look at - sedums - erigeron - coreopsis . Or could just go with bedding plant. it would be ideal to dig in some compost with most of these plants I've mentioned .

if you are going with flowers paint the fence in a dark colour , black can make orange / yellow other flower really stand out. I would stick with 2-3 species of plants as well repeated the full length of the border it doesn't look to bitty then but its up to you on that account.