Sun loving tall and skinny

sarahj237

I am a sun lover, shame about the rest 😂. I posted something on here earlier and you were so helpful that I'm
trying again. I am a “if it lives - leave it” and “find somewhere to put it” kind of gardener. Which is why I have a round bed with everything in the wrong place. Does anyone have any recommendation for tall flowering skinny plants that I could put in this bed to create some height and interest? Preferably that slugs hate 😬. And if you can’t help with that, tall skinny shade lovers that I could put at the back of another border? A friend said I should rip it all out and start again but I can’t bring myself
to. Many thanks for any advice. Sarah

Nollie

What sorts of colours are you looking for Sarah? Alliums spring to mind, tall and skinny sun-lovers and if they are in or towards the middle everything else will hide the tatty foliage as it dies back. Lots of annuals can be tall and skinny and a fair few perennials can be trained to grow up, if you don’t pinch out the growing tips and maybe remove some side shoots - but that might be too interventionist for you your relaxed approach Alternatively, consider some skinny columnar shrubs for height in the middle and rely on stuff around to give you colour, maybe?

hogweed

Verbena bonariensis would be my choice - small plants, tall purple colour to waft in the breeze. Or Achillea if you want other colours. Macleaya is about 5 ft if you want that tall. 
Tall skinny shade lovers - can't go far wrong with foxgloves for spring, monkshood for later and then Japanese anemones. 

Fairygirl

I don't fit any of the three criteria for this thread 
For sunny spots, Lilies, Aquilegias [they'll actually do both] Astrantias, Salvias, Veronicas, Delphiniums and the aforementioned Alliums will all be fine. Plenty of colour choices too. 
Digitalis [foxgloves] for shade, and for earlier in the year, Camassias as long as the ground is damp. Polemonium [Jacob's Ladder] is also good for shade, but maybe a bit small if you want it at the back. It would be good drifting through in front of the foxgloves though.  Astilbes would also do that, although they make quite biggish clumps, so maybe not quite what you want. Early in the year, the Ammi majus would be good as well. 

sarahj237

OMG I'm over whelmed! How wonderful you all are. Thank you. Will reply individually 

Fairygirl

Oh, just thought  - poppies as well, Sarah - for the sun 

I forgot Jap anems  and Verb. bon, even though I have both. Good call by hogweed 

sarahj237

Nollie said:

What sorts of colours are you looking for Sarah? Alliums spring to mind, tall and skinny sun-lovers and if they are in or towards the middle everything else will hide the tatty foliage as it dies back. Lots of annuals can be tall and skinny and a fair few perennials can be trained to grow up, if you don’t pinch out the growing tips and maybe remove some side shoots - but that might be too interventionist for you your relaxed approach Alternatively, consider some skinny columnar shrubs for height in the middle and rely on stuff around to give you colour, maybe?

Thanks so much. I have some alliums in there but they don't last long unless there is another variety. I am after perennials ideally as I like annuals but don’t have enough time. Skinny shrubs sound good. Might go that route! Thanks so much 😬

Nollie

I forgot Verbena Bonariensis too, and have loads of it, it’s such an easy-going perennial. Two skinny shrubs I have are lime green Cypress Goldcrest and the ‘Rocket’ series of skinny Berberis in red/plum tones plus a startling orangey/coral (bit smaller, that one). Both easy to grow, but you have to keep an eye out for Berberis sawfly caterpillars...

B3

Wild fennel gets very tall

ForTheBees

A few suggestions from my garden:
- Veronicastrum virginicum 'lavendelturm' (1.5-2.5m)
- Physostegia virginiana (1m+) (but this can be aggressive spreader in fertile soil, so I keep it in a container)
- Rudbeckia laciniata 'Herbstsonne' (but not slug proof) (1.5m-2.5m)
- Cornflowers (mine have hit 1m tall) (annuals but just casually seed them in situ in the autumn. Zero coddling required and they're stunning)

AnniD

Helianthus "Lemon Queen" perhaps ? Around 2m tall perennial sunflower. 
https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/helianthus-lemon-queen/