looking for advice on my border

Chriscore

Hi, the border is situated on the left side and runs part the way beside the path. In the summer it gets sun from the morning until around 4pm ish. During the winter it gets less direct sun due to the sun being lower in the sky and various obstacles like the house playing a part during this time of year etc.

I am not really sure about the quality of the soil, but with my meter gadget it's reading mostly alkaline. Along this path I have grown successfully (Tomatoes, herbs, sunflowers, nigella and chilli's).

I am unsure about what would be best: Plant it with mostly full sun perennials or go with partial sun/shade loving plants, or a mix?
Ideally I would like to plant some sedum, veronicas, lady's mantle, salvias and some dwarf/miniature conifer in there.
Any advice on what would be the best thing to do for this spot is appreciated.

See my drawing > 

Lizzie27

@Chriscore, welcome to the forum.

if the border gets mainly sun until about 4 pm I'd go for sun loving plants and those you've mentioned should all do well in that spot. Any plant that will cope with part sun, part shade would also do well. I wouldn't worry too much about lack of winter sun as perennials will mostly die down then. You might want to think about some spring bulbs though, just to spread the colour through the year. You could even tuck some snowdrops behind some of the taller perennials for early spring cheer.
Good luck.

Busy-Lizzie

I agree with what @Lizzie27 has said, just what I was going to say. Don't plant too close to the fence as it's usually dry at the bottom of fences.

Just choose plants you like but not acid soil loving ones.

Chriscore

Lizzie27 said:

@Chriscore, welcome to the forum.

if the border gets mainly sun until about 4 pm I'd go for sun loving plants and those you've mentioned should all do well in that spot. Any plant that will cope with part sun, part shade would also do well. I wouldn't worry too much about lack of winter sun as perennials will mostly die down then. You might want to think about some spring bulbs though, just to spread the colour through the year. You could even tuck some snowdrops behind some of the taller perennials for early spring cheer.
Good luck.

Thanks very much!

Fairygirl

I agree. The amount of sun used in terms like 'full sun' etc, are calculated by summer conditions, so the amount in winter doesn't really matter 
Plants which like semi shade will also be fine, but be aware that where you're located is a factor with things like Salvias. Alchemilla [lady's mantle] can be very invasive as it seeds readily, so just keep an eye on that too. Spring bulbs are always a good idea, as suggested   
The vast majority of conifers for sale in most outlets [there are some specialist suppliers which have smaller varieties]  become very, very big over time, so make sure you don't let it get carried away. Most won't tolerate being pruned back into brown wood either, so the key to success is to lightly trim new growth only once they reach the sort of size you like. They can take several years to really establish and start growing, so take care with your choice, however, with alkaline soil, conifers probably aren't worth trying. They generally won't like that. Neutral soil is fine as long as it isn't at the alkaline end of neutral   

I think you meant not acid loving ones @Busy-Lizzie

If you want winter colour, and a few evergreens etc, there will be choices for those too. 

Busy-Lizzie

Yes, I did, thanks @Fairygirl. Corrected it.

Fairygirl

Busy-Lizzie said:

Yes, I did, thanks @Fairygirl. Corrected it.

  

Chriscore

Fairygirl said:

I agree. The amount of sun used in terms like 'full sun' etc, are calculated by summer conditions, so the amount in winter doesn't really matter 
Plants which like semi shade will also be fine, but be aware that where you're located is a factor with things like Salvias. Alchemilla [lady's mantle] can be very invasive as it seeds readily, so just keep an eye on that too. Spring bulbs are always a good idea, as suggested   
The vast majority of conifers for sale in most outlets [there are some specialist suppliers which have smaller varieties]  become very, very big over time, so make sure you don't let it get carried away. Most won't tolerate being pruned back into brown wood either, so the key to success is to lightly trim new growth only once they reach the sort of size you like. They can take several years to really establish and start growing, so take care with your choice, however, with alkaline soil, conifers probably aren't worth trying. They generally won't like that. Neutral soil is fine as long as it isn't at the alkaline end of neutral   

I think you meant not acid loving ones @Busy-Lizzie

If you want winter colour, and a few evergreens etc, there will be choices for those too. 

Fairygirl said:

I agree. The amount of sun used in terms like 'full sun' etc, are calculated by summer conditions, so the amount in winter doesn't really matter 
Plants which like semi shade will also be fine, but be aware that where you're located is a factor with things like Salvias. Alchemilla [lady's mantle] can be very invasive as it seeds readily, so just keep an eye on that too. Spring bulbs are always a good idea, as suggested   
The vast majority of conifers for sale in most outlets [there are some specialist suppliers which have smaller varieties]  become very, very big over time, so make sure you don't let it get carried away. Most won't tolerate being pruned back into brown wood either, so the key to success is to lightly trim new growth only once they reach the sort of size you like. They can take several years to really establish and start growing, so take care with your choice, however, with alkaline soil, conifers probably aren't worth trying. They generally won't like that. Neutral soil is fine as long as it isn't at the alkaline end of neutral   

I think you meant not acid loving ones @Busy-Lizzie

If you want winter colour, and a few evergreens etc, there will be choices for those too. 

Thanks for all the tips! I am situated in the Southwest UK.

Fairygirl

An easy evergreen is Euphorbia @Chriscore. There are many many varieties though, [and a few aren't evergreen] and one or two can get a bit thuggish, so it's best to do some research before buying. The main drawback of them is that they have a sap which can be an irritant, so that's something to bear in mind. They're very useful for awkward sites though, sun or some shade. 
What sort of height do you have there with the fence? A good evergreen for sun and good drainage is Escallonia. They can be pruned, but they give good coverage and have pink flowers in late spring/early summer. There's also a white one which might be hardy enough where you are. Ceanothus are also good in that sort of site - pale blue flowers usually. That would give you some height if you wanted that. It will also depend on the depth of the bed [front to back] for the Ceanothus in particular.
Another useful plant is Euonymus fortuneii. Some will act as climbers if they have a fence or wall behind them  E. Silver Queen in particular. Grown for their variegated foliage rather than their flowers, which are tiny, but they're a useful foil for other plants, and would give a permanent backdrop. 

Plantminded

I was wondering about the size of your border as well as the height of your fence and whether there’s anything on the other side of the fence you’d prefer not to see.  These details would all help with suitable recommendations.

Chriscore

Plantminded said:

I was wondering about the size of your border as well as the height of your fence and whether there’s anything on the other side of the fence you’d prefer not to see.  These details would all help with suitable recommendations.

Ah, the fence is 6ft, not sure about border size though. Thanks