Which plants?

lydiaann

I have taken up some plants which just didn't work and now have a couple of spaces to fill.  Firstly, sheltered by a fence and trees to the west (i.e. east facing), dry clay border (dry because of the trees).  I need manageable shrubs/herbaceous perennials of about 1.5-2m tall, dropping down forwards to around 0.5-1m.  There is a cornus alba (1.5 m tall) which will need a couple of things behind it and something to either side.  They will need to provide colour/interest through the year, not need too much pruning, certainly don't want to be "delicate". I shall be putting in a couple of foxgloves and hollyhocks, plus some lupins later on to 'fill in' just a little further out from these spaces.  

Next, on the border opposite, I have taken out a robinia.  This is west facing, the sun not reaching this part of the border until mid- to late afternoon.  I have so far moved in a fuchsia ricartonii, and planted a small rose and a hibiscus...all in pinks, maroons. there's also a lavender in there.  These plants don't need to be as big, maybe max 1.5m at the fence.  Again, I can thrown in plants grown from seed to fill in afterwards.

Any ideas, pretty please?

hogweed

Have a look at the RHS site for plants. It will give you lots of options.

lydiaann

Thanks, hogweed.  I did look there, but there are so many plants and so little space for all of them!  I know that GWers have their own favourites and successes and was hoping to be a little lazy by piggy-backing on them!  I'll give it another go.  Maybe I'll leave it until we go down to Kew in about 4 weeks' time and get some ideas then in the hope that they have the same things in our garden centres (we're going down by train so can't manage bags of plants - as there would be far more than I need - AND a small case)