Plant suggestions

Liz Warner

This is a small east facing bed at the front of my house.  We're painting the garage wall soon so that will look neater.  I need to pull out the bluebells that have crept out of the bed.  I've planted some white heathers, a few black mondo grasses and there's a hosta right at the back.  I'm thinking of putting in another black bamboo in the far left corner next to the garage wall.  I need something mid height I think at the bacK.  What would you suggest? 

(Ground is quite wet and clay-ey!)

iankellard

Can you fix anything to the wall behind? Is it yours? If so, would a nice evergreen clematis going up there work for you? It'd keep its feet cool in there. Maybe this Fragrant Oberon: http://www.taylorsclematis.co.uk/clematis-fragrant-oberon.html to keep the palette muted. Or if there's not much light, hydrangea petiolaris?

(I don't know if those are spectacularly obvious; sorry if so. Am new!

Liz Warner

Ok. I'm liking both those suggestions. Thank you! Usually manage to sneak plants in to the beds or I get "stop spending money on the garden before we finished tidying it' (we've recently moved in to a renovation project) and a clematis is less subtle to sneak in! I've got an inside hydrangea I want to hardy up and put outside but I'm not sure what it is

B3

If you've just moved in , perhaps the previous owner had planted just the clematis you were thinking of

Liz Warner

That's amazing!!

Tanty2

What about Choisya?  Scented or not, chartreuse or rich mid-green, evergreen and (even in my windy cold garden) indestructible!  Another grass that looks gorgeous with the mondo is Uncinia Rubra

Flowerlover3

Is the front edge, where the bluebells are sunnier and/or dryer? If so you could maybe sow some annuals in there for the price of a packet of seeds. I love the front wall. 

Liz Warner

Thanks for all the suggestions. I've just found a quiet half hour at work to read through! I suppose the front is a little dryer. The back is very clay-ey! Your suggestions have led me to do some research. I'm aware I don't want too much of a mix of different plants but more of the same. How about anemone X hybrida honorine Jobert, white blazing star or even lillies?

Grannys Bonnet

How about a fern?  There is a nice one Athyrium niponicum 'Godzilla', it's good in boggy/damp condition, works well with hostas  and I love the colours on it.

 

Flowerlover3

Anenomes and lilies and liatris would do well there I think, especially if you mix in a some grit or sharp sand underneath them when you plant. Maybe plant some spring flowering bulbs between them when the autumn comes.