MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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We've got a wall at the front of the drive and I'd like to get some plants to give some colour and soften the wall a bit.
I'm going to build a raised border using some Malvern stone that's currently in a big pile at the bottom of the garden then fill with soil.
It's an area that doesn't get any real sun due to the side I want to plant being on the north-facing side of the wall. It seems to stay pretty damp too.
Any tips on what to put in? Ideally something that would come back each year although don't mind popping some bedding plants in to fill it out a bit.
Ferns
I put Skimmia japonica "Rubella" under a Clematis on the shaded side of the fence. Doing ok.
Hostas
Astilbe
Ivy. It's generally a mug's game.
Skimmia , Hellabore or Heuchera both have a good choice of colours .
Thanks, will have a look at those.
Ivy.
F***ing hate the stuff..
Heucheras and heucherellas (online from Plant-a-go-go). The foliage comes in lots of different colours, for a stunning year-round display.
+1 for hostas. Mrs Stoner Sr is a fan of them for dealing with damp, shady corners of gardens. I rather like some of the variegated ones.
I have ferns & rhubarb!
Woodruff is good for ground cover imo & has lovely little white flowers in May.
A climbing Hydrangea will provide a bit of colour in the summer and it's hardy down to -10°, it'll also add a bit height to the border. Most online garden sites have recommendations for different positions, or even better you can ask at your local garden centre and they'll also advise you on your soil type. Snails and slugs love Hostas so you'll need to put down a deterrent, copper rings work best if you don't want to kill the wildlife
Hosta = snail food .
First question to ask is the dimensions. How wide front to back. What length. And most importantly what depth of soil will there be; not just the height of the wall but how far down does good soil go, and what is underneath.
Different plants depending on the properties of the bed.
Variegated euonymus are good in shade and can be tied to a framework on the wall. As a general rule anything with large leaves like hostas will do well, large leaves are designed to make the most of little light. Bergenia are tough, evergreen and flower too.
Harts tongue fern, helleborous foetidus.
Crocosmia.
Anything with big dark leaves.
Artificial Box hedge. Get nature without the effort. 👍
