Drought tolerant
I live in Wales, so we get a decent amount of rain, my front garden gets the sun from first thing in the morning till around 4/5pm in the afternoon and it can get very hot out there,
I used to have an escallonia hedge on the top wall but cut it down as it never looked good,
I'll get a picture tomorrow but effectively my garden is below road level so I have a level bank which drops down to a terrace area,
I've put down stones (gold coast) and painted the wall of the top bit white and putting some pots on stones against the wall,
The top bit is also stoned but it's very wide and finished off with a low wall. I'm looking for ideas for plants to put there that will survive the regular downpours we get, but also the dry situation caused by the south facing garden,
Posts
Hi tapestry. Are you looking for permanent planting or seasonal planting?
permanent planting
Is your soil free draining? Agapanthus will be OK in that situation as long as the soil drains well when it rains.
Yes free draining, hence the requirement for drought capable plants that don't mind a regular downpour lol
Ceanothus, Eryngium, Echinops, Osteospermums, Bergenia, Verbena bonariensis. Convolvulus cneorum. A few there for you to take a look at tapestry.
I you want a few structural plants to hide the wall a little, Phormiums and Libertias will provide a good backdrop. You could also have clematis trained along it, so long as you water well in dry spells. Pasqueflowers are a favourite of mine, and very welcome in spring. They would be happy along the edges in front of other small shrubs and plants. Aquilegias will also work there. Don't forget some spring bulbs - always welcome in late winter/early spring when you look out the window
I'm assuming you want to put the planting directly into the ground now - but have I misunderstood that?
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Yes, want to plant directly,
Can't put in Aquilegias any more sadly. I used to have a lovely collection of different varieties but, like Carrie, I've lost all mine to the new virus that's attacking them.
I moved some healthy ones from out front to the back garden and they flowered, then didn't come back the following year.
I moved my shed last year and at the beginning of this year I saw a large bunch of aquilegia leaves showing so crossed my fingers .. sadly no flowers and the leaves are all showing signs of infection now.
Front garden aquilegia also have discoloured leaves this year and minimum flowers.
Thanks for the suggestions will take a look
This is a list of some of the plants that have dine pretty well in my dry clay garden:
Gazanias, artichokes cosmos ( up to a point), iris, sage devils tears (can't remember the proper name) geraniums - both kinds , that big cornflower - can't remember the name. Pulmonaria,several grasses, wild marjoram, primroses
These are the ones that have done well. Many others are surviving but would do better if they got a drink now and again
See above for a list of stuff that thrives (survives) in my garden. If you have any more LB, please share.