Front garden border - Plants and shrub combination

Gardener_Joan

Need help and inspiration for front yard ideas  which has recently been made ready for planting with  top soil added and composted .

The planting area has  2 small borders  about 2 mtrs deep x 3 mtrs wide  where I need to plant shrubs and some perennials or Ornamental grasses which can go along with the shrubs.

The soil is a bit acidic /loamy with ph about 5.5 to 6.5 and the front gets a plenty of sun .
I have chosen these plants and shrubs for an overall Mediterranean look and feel but it will be good to know if there are any gardens /planting plans I could perhaps steal from ?

santolina pinnata

Lavender 

helianthemum nummularium 

Cistus

Euphorbia characias

shrubs

Choisya ternata

creeping thyme ...

Athelas

The border designs on Crocus could be a good place to start — you can mix it up and not necessarily follow everything exactly

https://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/plcid.1189/

There’s a Mediterranean (border plan below) and a dry Mediterranean plan

GardenerSuze

@Gardener-Joan Please may I suggest Phlomis Russeliana this will work with the santolina and give a slightly bigger leaf. You will need to control it but it is not a problem

Plantminded

For additional interest, I'd recommend Eryngium bourgatii "Picos Blue" (Mediterranean Sea Holly), Salvia officinalis Purpurascens (Purple Sage), Yucca gloriosa "Variegata" (much nicer than the plain green one), and Rosemary - either the upright or prostrate varieties.  I grow them all on well draining sandy soil with no losses so far!  You may need to add some extra grit to your loamy soil to ensure good drainage. Good luck!

Plantminded

One other tip @Gardener_Joan, there's no need to feed or mulch these plants (unless you use gravel).  They prefer impoverished, gritty soil, similar to Mediterranean conditions.  Too many nutrients will encourage lax, green growth at the expense of flowering. The plants will need watering while they establish but then they will flourish in dry, well drained soil.

Gardener_Joan

Thanks @Plantminded
Would taking a bit of the existing soil and then adding horticultural grit and then putting back the soil suffice ? 

Plantminded

Yes, it's better to mix the grit with your soil rather than putting it as a base in the planting hole.  I've done this to grow a low Thyme hedge.  It made it through a cold wet winter easily and is now in full flower!  I also do this when planting Lavender.