help with plant choice please!

geum keenbutgreen

Hi there (again!)

I'd be really grateful if anyone could give me some advice on the right choice of plants for an area of my garden. We've recently put in a wooden post & rail fence to separate the garden from the driveway area. In addition, we've dug out some of the border on the driveway side of the fence to increase the driveway area (still a work in progress).

I've attached a pic to illustrate. The fence is at the south east end of the garden, and gets sun for most of the day, although there are some shadier areas when the shrubs/trees come into leaf.

There are two things I want to do here: 

1: grow fragrant climbers through the length of the post & rail fence. As you can see, there is already a large clematis arch in one area next to the fence. I would like some evergreen cover on the fence too. I was thinking a mixture of star jasmine and winter jasmine to provide all year round interest, but very happy to take advice from those who know what they're doing! Ideally I'd like fast growing plants.

 

2 - on the area where the driveway is being dug out, I'd like to plant some low ground cover plants on the bank to tie it together and again provide all year round interest. The area will partly be sunny, running into a much shadier area to the right of the shot. Does anyone have any suggestions?I've already planted a little vinca minor in some of the shady spots, and was also considering things like clover, thyme, liily of the valley.... again, I am a real novice, so any advice gratefully received!

Beaus Mum

Hi keenbutgreen

Firstly I would like to say how lovely it already looks 

you have some lovely ideas but personally I would not grow anything on the actual fence as it makes a lovely back drop for what you grow in front or behind it.  Once what you have planted grows it will look lovely entwining naturally.  I would keep to bulk planting of your favourites which give you a different picture for each season.

i also would move  the potted plant you have to somewhere else.

 

 

geum keenbutgreen

Thanks Beaus Mum, definitely food for thought! 

The potted plant (Hebe I think?) is just the last remnant of when we moved house and was dumped there out of the removal van - still need to find a good spot to plant it out in!

Beaus Mum

How long ago did  you move  Keenbutgreen? Having zoomed in your pic it looks a most beautiful established garden and looks to me that along the drive you have bluebells to come? I'm guessing if you moved recently that you may already have a lovely planted drive and may be best to wait and see what you already have and then enhance it by your personal choices and make it yours 

 

geum keenbutgreen

We've been in just four months - the driveway area was very established, but we had to dig a lot of it out to put the fence in (a mass of day lilies and Japanese anemones amongst other stuff!) It's mostly perennials in this part, so I'd like to include a better balance of evergreen too, for winter interest.

Fairygirl

Prostrate Gaultherias are good ground cover - evergreen. Heucheras, Tiarellas and Pachysandra also. Don't be frightened to use a bit of height as well. Osmanthus like a bit of shade - evergreen and small white flowers in late winter/spring. Evergreen foliage plants like Euonymous will also give support to perennials and are easy to keep in shape if needed. Choysia ternata is another - the standard green one can get big but the yellow leaved Sundance enjoys some shade.

geum keenbutgreen

Thanks Fairygirl! I've got some euonymous I've planted just on the other (garden) side of the post & rail which are doing well - I love them! I have a fair few in other places in the garden too, including two standards either side of the front door.

I'm also planning on getting a choisya ternata sundance, so that's great. 

I'll look into the ground cover plants you mention, fantastic, thank you!

Fairygirl

Should have said - the garden looks great already kbgreen 

I also should have asked you what your soil conditions etc are like. Most of the plants I mentioned like reasonable moisture - never an issue here. You might need to add a decent amount of manure and a mulch to retain moisture until plants are established.  Another useful plant is Hellebore. They're great at this time of year and into spring. I also have Pulsatillas (Pasqueflowers) which flower at Easter time. They're delightful little perennials and very easy. 

geum keenbutgreen

Thanks Fairygirl - I can't claim much credit there, it was well established when we moved in! I've just planted a few things so far, and done lots of clearing; the previous owner wasn't very well and the garden had become rather overgrown. My last few months have mostly involved cutting back and weeding...

I've put in some hellebores, funny you mention it - there were already quite a few in the garden in various places, although I've had to cut most of the leaves off and destroy them as they've got black spot (but hey, can see the flowers better now!) 

Mulching is something I'm not familiar with - I don't have any 'homegrown' yet (the composters in situ aren't producing). I've bagged up loads of leaves from autumn but obviously they won't be ready for a while. Can I use something shop-bought until I have my own?  Or can I use my tree shavings I've got from having a tree stump ground?

I've had to wait for the perennials to die back so I can cut them down and then weed around them properly to get some idea of what's what.

As for the soil, still waiting to do my pH test (it's sitting in the kitchen!) but in terms of texture and moisture, it seems really good - not clay-y, relatively light but retains moisture well. 

Sorry for the barrage of questions! It's such a beautiful garden (we viewed the house in summer and fell in love with it) and I don't want to be the one responsible for messing it up!

Lizyann

Can you please help me to choose the right plant for a large planter on a patio that is part shade and part sunny when we get some  I would like one that is evergreen and verigated if possible with a good perfume that is slow growing and hardy, is there such a one. I did have a Daphne adora aureomarginata in it but it has died this is after being in a pot transplanted into the garden and then into said planter. I am not fussed about colour, many thanks in antiscipation.