Plant suggestions please

Thankthecat

I recently posted about beds on our patio that I couldn't decide what to do with. We have a short term solution using divisions of plants we already own. Long term we've decided we'd like evergreen shrubs to give the patio a feeling of privacy and seclusion but we also like the idea of having white flowers as we often use the patio in the evening. The beds are in full sun, 10ft x 4ft and we would ideally like shrubs that grow up to about 6-7ft, or would be happy to be kept pruned to that height. White flowers and fragrance would be a bonus. I was thinking choisya, and possibly osmanthus x burkwoodii? What do you think? If we went with that idea, do you think there would be enough room in the beds for me to add roses, smaller perennials and/or annuals like nicotiana alba in between or in front of the shrubs? 

Lizzie27

You could also think about escallonia "Iveii" (white flowers) or the white flowering currant. If you've only got 10 ft, then I think 3 shrubs max, with as you say, a small rose ("Little White Pet" or a white Flower Carpet), and then your perenials and annuals in front. Would be lovely! 

josusa47

You might think of including a Sarcococca, which has fragrant white flowers in winter.

Thankthecat

I'm really rubbish at design - as there are two of these 10ft x 4ft beds, one each side of the patio, would it be better to mirror the same planting each side or have different plants? The patio in between is about 10ft square. This will be a big investment for us so I really want to get it right!

Wayside

@josusa47 which Sarcococca do you recommend?

josusa47

I don't know!  I've no experience of them, I've just planted out my first one.

DampGardenMan

Thankthecat said:

would it be better to mirror the same planting each side or have different plants?

It's a matter of personal preference of course, but I would point out that if you go for mirroring then if one plant dies you'll have to find a like-for-like replacement to maintain the mirrored look. Similarly if one side gets on faster than the other (do the two sides get equal amounts of sun?) you may also find the beds looking not quite symmetrical! Better, IMHO, to go for different things in the two beds! So much less stressful

Thankthecat

Good points there DGM! And the bestest thing about that is that I can choose six different shrubs, not just three

Thankthecat

Josusa, Sarcococca ticks all the boxes, but I don't think it will like the position. The back of the house faces south so these beds are in full sun for most of the day for six months of the year. The beds are moist but well drained and I think it would just be too dry. Shame, because S.confusa would give us the height without taking up too much room in the bed

raisingirl

Thankthecat said:

I'm really rubbish at design - as there are two of these 10ft x 4ft beds, one each side of the patio, would it be better to mirror the same planting each side or have different plants? The patio in between is about 10ft square. This will be a big investment for us so I really want to get it right!

There isn't a right or wrong answer to that question - either could look great. My personal choice would be not to have too much symmetry, but formality can be very soothing. 

You could go for taller small multi-stem trees that will sail above the other plants to give more height - an amelanchier or viburnum 'Kilimajaro' to give you the sense of being enclosed without being walled in.
The osmanthus will be quite big for those beds. Maybe think of smaller shrubs like hebe for some leaf colour variety or a pale abelia like 'confetti', maybe or Convolvulus cneorum. There's a dwarf Choisya 'Royal Lace'.

For under-planting, night scented stocks or phlox, white oriental poppies, green and white tulips, echinacea 'baby white swan', anenome 'Honorine Jobert' or Isolepis cernua to fill in the gaps.

ETA - sorry, brain went mush there - I meant Festuca glauca not Isolepis cernua. Dunno what I was thinking (embarrassed emoji)

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