Planting Ideas

pugslovesun

Hi everyone, I've got a squarish container that gets afternoon/eve sun, not that deep about 18 inches. I've thought of the usual perennial culprits but has anyone got ideas for a small, summer flowering, preferably evergreen shrub that they've had success with in these conditions that could go with these. I know someone out there will come up with something good, many thanks Sue

pugslovesun

Forgot to say it's about 2ft squarish!

Chrissy the gardener

Abelia Confetti comes to mind but don't know if the container would be deep enough.

pansyface

A small azalea? Some flower in the summer.

pugslovesun

Thanks for those suggestions, just got back in and will have a look at them. I live at 800ft so it does get cold and windy and rainy! So need to be hardy souls. Thanks

Fairygirl

Hebes - lots of varieties and they're very happy in containers. Should be fine at that altitude too. You may find that whatever you choose, you'll have to shelter it a bit in winter. Pop it round to a different corner!

Holly will take it though. You could always have something less robust for most of the year, and do a swap for a holly in late autumn for a few months 

Buttercupdays

How about a cistus? I've got an 'Alan Fradd' that is supposed to be hardier than most. It came through last winter (I'm 400 ft higher than you!) unscathed, but that was a very mild one for here. It has flowered all summer, lovely white crushed silk flowers with dark red centres. I'm hoping that with some mulch and maybe some fleece I may be able to keep it going. Mine is in the ground, but if yours is in a pot you could move it into a more sheltered spot in very cold weather.

Or a Euphorbia? Ascot Rainbow is hardy, evergreen, has prettily variegated leaves. goes pink in cold weather and has green, yellow and red flowers in summer. Apparently great in a pot. Can't speak from experience yet, as I won mine in a raffle at my gardening club last night, and had to read up on it when I got home! It is good looking though!

pugslovesun

Thanks . Well that's loads to think about, I can't move the container it's too heavy. Just trying to get dog out in a break from rain (pugs don't like rain) and then can settle down & do some reading.

Fairygirl

If you plant into a plastic container that fits inside your nice pot, you can plant up another pot and then swap those pots over. 

I do it all the time with different plants when I have a nice pot that is a feature in itself. 

pugslovesun

Thanks fairy girl, I'm either a  bit lazy or not organised enough for moving pots around, I just like to leave them where they are but I think I might have to start considering this approach to be able to have some of the plants I want, it gets very windy and not just at this time of year! One of the pots I could move,so plenty of ideas , thanks everyone.