Stumpery / Mini beast hideout

Phil_j_83

Hey all, in a bid to make my garden as wildlife friendly as possible I've just 'installed' a stumpery. The plan is to have the ferns I've started with combined with some hostas but after that I have somewhat run out of imagination... any ideas? It's a north facing border overhung 50% by a large mature ivy. At one end in the darker corner I have my compost bins and the other rises up towards a freshly planted Rowan tree. Picture below as of 25/01/2020

AnniD

Possibly things such as cyclamen, celandine, pulmonaria and/or snowdrops for some colour ? 
That's a nice job you've done there 

Phil_j_83

Cheers I'll take a look, I like the idea of some snowdrops scattered around

philippasmith2

Another one for Cyclamen plus perhaps one of the yellow Heucheras ( marmalade is a good one ) - depends whether you are fussy about similar colours - i,e white cyclamen/snowdrops and yellow Heuchera, Aconite and some short multi headed daffs.  Looks a nice patch to work on

Phil_j_83

Thanks for the replies all! I plumped for a couple of cyclamen in the end and a smattering of snakes head fritillary (prob my favourite flower). This stumpery leads up towards a mound where I have planted a Rowan and the face of this mini hill I have planted lots of bluebells. I'm hoping it all ties in well as a mock edge of a woodland habitat. I'll probably put in a few more ferns and vinca minor for additional ground cover

Buttercupdays

Vinca minor will swamp that area in no time!

You could try Saxifraga X  Urbium (London Pride), small Hostas,  Primulas of various sorts and bulbs like Muscari or Scillas to follow on from the snowdrops. Trilliums are nice too, for some spring colour, though rather harder on the pocket.

AnniD

I agree, avoid vinca ! It looks pretty, but goes everywhere. 
Looking very nice, pretty cyclamen 

philippasmith2

Looks good and the Snakes head will certainly add - lovely plants.

Vinca minor variegated (yellow/green ) is slower growing than the others IME but even that might be a bit risky.

Obelixx

The white flowered version of vinca is even slower but still, I think, best avoided or it will eventually swamp the others.   Your cyclamen will self sow and spread themselves if you let them and those ferns will grow so I'd let it settle a while before doing anything more.

Fire

A stumpery works best if you can find some actual stumps.

Phil_j_83

Obelixx said:

The white flowered version of vinca is even slower but still, I think, best avoided or it will eventually swamp the others.   Your cyclamen will self sow and spread themselves if you let them and those ferns will grow so I'd let it settle a while before doing anything more.

Ok, I'll scrub the vinca off the list, yeah I certainly don't want to overcrowding. I'm thinking some additional ferns for the bit not in the photos so far. 👍🏼😁