Concrete slab
LLM
Posts: 46
Hi all,
I have a concrete slab at the bottom of the garden which mostly in the shade. I'm looking to liven up the corner so any ideas/suggestions are welcome!
Thanks in advance!
Last edited: 27 March 2017 11:50:11
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LLM
Posts: 46
Posts
I would use it as a workspace for potting on or growing on plants. I'd also widen that back bed to at least the depth of the slab and put a border down the side but not dead straight as curves or diagonals or triangles add interest.
If you're not interested in a work area, try filling it with an assortment of pots and grow bulbs, spring bedding or specimen plants that will be show-offs.
Another possibility is to erect a trellis panel or 2 in front to hide it, dig a border in front of that and grow a decorative or fruitful climbing plant up it and hide things like green waste or compost bins behind it. .
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
Great ideas. I've been wanting to find a place for compost/water butt for a while so thank you
Any ideas for perennial flowers for shade that would look good down there?
You could start teh year with snowdrops and then go on to dicentra spectabilis or formosa which has smaller flowers and bluer leaves. I like both. Pulmonaria Blue Ensig will give you spotted foliage and blue flowers in spring, then geranium macrorhizum which has scented leaves, pale, medium or deep pink flowers depending on variety and scented foliage which turn red in winter.
Astrantias like shade and a slightly damp soil. Alchemilla mollis does well in dry shade and produces acid yellow flowers in summer. I don't like the flowers and cut them off but the foliage is lovely, especially when it has raindrops on it. Japanese anemone Honorine Jobert will give you height and white flowers for late in summer and into early autumn.
That should start you off.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
Dont put your compost bin on concrete. It needs to be on the soil so worms can get in and do there thing.
i would just get a selection of different sized pots and plant shade loving plants from obelisks list plus a hydrangea as they do well in shade pretty much maintance free(just dead head at the end of Feb) and will be quite happy in a pot.
Worms willl find it no matter what. My compost bins have always been on tarmac and I have no shortage of worms.