Help me tranform my front garden!
Amanda the novice
Posts: 7
Dear everyone,
I would really love some help - am a bit stuck! Over the summer I finally started sorting out the weedpatch that was my front garden. I have put a square of gravel in the middle (about 8' square) and planted a little box hedge all round that, with a curve round the lime tree in the corner. I now need to work out what to put in the remaining borders. It is north-east facing, but gets full sun all morning, then deep shade in the afternoons. The soil is neutral. The borders remaining around the box are about 20" wide.
I really wanted to plant things that were quite low, so they won't just swamp the box hedge which I was planning to keep about 8" or so tall. Also I really can't work out what to plant against the wall under the bay window. There isn't much space and I need something evergreen, that will grow quite close to the wall and (very important) hide the horrible crack that seems to be developing and I would rather not have to look at! So please, lovely people, tell me what I could do. Thank you, Amanda.
Posts
ps, I don't know if it's realistic, but ideally I'd like to have things that are evergreen, so it looks good all year round.
I think pyracantha can grow there, it's evergreen, can be trimmed hard against the wall and you can choose from red, yellow or orange berries. For the borders perhaps a variety of scabious? The have rossettes of foliage at the bottom and the flower are on airy stalks which will contrast nicely with your clipped box.
What you have done so far looks really smart btw!
I think it would look nice with a small ornamental tree in the centre of the gravel. I can imagine brightly coloured tulips in the borders for one part of the year.
oh, and a line of dwarf lavender along the path.
Yes, I thought for the spring low growing tulips in one colour would look stunning as you have designed a formal neat and tidy garden. I might think of other things yet, so will let you know.
I like what yo'uve already done. It's very attractive.
Verdun's sugestions are pretty much what I would advise too except that phormiums are not winter hardy for me so maybe something else like euonymous - the evergreen one with silver or gol dvariegation variegation or hebes if your winters aren't too cold..
Lavender would want more sun than is available here but heucheras and heucherellas would be happy.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
You have done an amazing job there Amanda, If that was my front garden, I would grow Portuguese laurel against the house and with secateurs keep its height just below the windowsil, If that borders wide enough (its hard to tell from photo) Or pyrathcantha is a good option I agree Mrs G. I would grow a small decidious tree in the centre of that gravel square, something that would be ok with the partial shade aspect, I wonder if a paulownia would grow there happily, there is endless options! I would grow grasses of one variety around the tree in the gravel patch, in a prairie style with little coloured jewels of spring Tulips and summer Geums or Crocosmia's poking threw the grasses. Exciting oppurtunities!