Hi, the aubretia I’ve bought is a 30cm spread - the wall border is about 40cm… if I want it to cascade over wall a bit should I plant nearer to wall side it can hang over rather than in middle of flower bed? Thanks!
I have a couple that i planted right next to an 8" thick wall, and they spilled over nicely and are now spreading over the ground about 18" below on the next level down. They are growing towards the sun, as I've also got some planted on level ground, and they are growing in the same direction. If the wall is facing towards the sun you shouldn't have any problems.
May I ask a question? I have a shale walkway along the back of my cottage which then drops down to another shale path on the level with the garden. There is a block built wall dividing the two levels (height approx. 2'6"), the blocks are the big ones with the holes through the middle. Last year we grew lobelia plants in the 'holes' successfully but I would really like something to actually trail down the wall (rendered). Would Aubretia plants be suitable - holes are about 4"x4" but go deep down - and if they are, would I then just leave them, cut the back in winter or remove and plant fresh for next year? Sorry, new to this planting lark! Posted the only picture that I have which is of this part of the garden taken in 2020 when we started on the project. There is a long plank on top of the wall due to small elderly dog possibly getting a foot down one of the holes, but one hole is visible at the bottom of the photo Many thanks for reading this long post.
Aubretia is more than happy in small sites in walls etc @AnnaB , so as long as you get them established well, they'd probably be fine. Although they're happy with light, well drained conditions, they still need well watered until established. No need to lift them - they're hardy perennials. They only need the odd tidy up now and again, as they can get a bit scruffy, but other than that, they're pretty easy plants.
Most of them get a spread of around 2 feet if they're happy @fizzyliz and have room to spread, but they can certainly be planted quite close if desired. They're excellent for trailing down walls in a sunny site, but will take a bit of shade too.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
If you want a bit of variety, Erigeron karvinskianus will grow in not much at all. It seeds itself into cracks in the paving here. Snow-in-summer (Cerastium tomentosum) might work too.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
Yes - loads of little plants will be fine there. Arabis is another good little alpine, and Armeria [thrift] as well. They all do well in similar conditions to Aubretia.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
It's funny, I see aubretia as plants from my childhood - lots of cotswold stone walls & "rockeries" around here in the 60s. It always seemed to be alternated with allysum. I notice gc's and supermarkets have been full of aubretias and saxifrages, obviously the plant to own this spring, and the new ones are much nicer than I remember 🙂
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Many thanks for reading this long post.
No need to lift them - they're hardy perennials. They only need the odd tidy up now and again, as they can get a bit scruffy, but other than that, they're pretty easy plants.
Most of them get a spread of around 2 feet if they're happy @fizzyliz and have room to spread, but they can certainly be planted quite close if desired. They're excellent for trailing down walls in a sunny site, but will take a bit of shade too.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I notice gc's and supermarkets have been full of aubretias and saxifrages, obviously the plant to own this spring, and the new ones are much nicer than I remember 🙂