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Lost in SuffolkLost in Suffolk Posts: 20
in Garden design

imageWe have recently moved house and inherited a large horseshoe hole in the front garden. Any advice as to what I could fill it with? All ideas welcome. 

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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,093

    image  Interesting ..................... image

    Do you want to fill it in and grass it over, or turn it into a flower bed , or ............ image

    I love Suffolk and lived there most of my life... I hope you'll be very happy there ... I've been transplanted into Norfolk image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,193

    Congratulations on your house move and lovely new garden. There are a few Suffolkians and other East Anglian gardeners on the forum - occasionally we meet up for garden visitsimage

    That is quite a strange shape for a bed. Have you tried putting water in it? I just wonder if it is an interestingly shaped small pond?

    Depending where you are in Suffolk - many of us have a lot of clay and some people round here (mid Suffolk) have made clay lined ponds (ie no butyl liner - just compacted clay) There is a natural pond just round the corner from us which is about 80 foot long and 6 foot deep.

    At least - it should be a pond - at the moment it's an 80' x 6' dip in the ground - completely dried up because we've had very, very little rain for months.

    At least if you partially fill it with water you'll get an idea whether it's free draining and suited to drought tolerant plants or slow draining and perhaps suitable for bog style planting (and anywhere in between of course).

    Do you have neighbours who can advise what was there before?

    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • Lost in SuffolkLost in Suffolk Posts: 20

    I think I'd like to fill it with something. Just not sure what! I like those plants which are similar to hydrangeas but have green flower heads rather than white/pink/blue. Anyone know what I mean? Would that be an option?? 

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,093

    Google Hydrangea paniculata 'Little Lime' and see if that's what you're thinking of?

    Hydrangeas need plenty of moisture, so you'll need to increase the moisture retention in that bed by incorporating lots of organic matter and being prepared to do plenty of watering while the shrubs are establishing and in prolonged dry spells. Don't forget that Suffolk is one of the dri est counties, even if it doesn't always seem like it. image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Lost in SuffolkLost in Suffolk Posts: 20

    Thank you Dovefromabove that's exactly what I was thinking of. I shall investigate! Any other ideas gratefully received.

    Last edited: 07 April 2017 12:20:09

  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 6,897

    There are a few lime green plants that don't mind it a bit drier - some of the big euphorbia, kniphofia - there's a 'bees lemon' or 'ice queen' - and there's alchemilla low growing but just the right colour. 

    Last edited: 07 April 2017 12:27:56

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,093

    Raisingirl ... as I was driving through the Suffolk countryside this afternoon I was thinking about this thread and suddenly Euphorbia characias 'wulfenii' came to mind - it would probably be much happier than hydrangea in the Suffolk conditions, and would certainly look very stylish in a mass planting in that bed image

    http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/euphorbia-characias-subsp-wulfenii/classid.78198/?affiliate=googleproductfeed&gclid=CK2Z1PHYktMCFYW4Gwod_wsIjw 

    Last edited: 07 April 2017 16:52:36


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 6,897

    I agree image 

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • Lost in SuffolkLost in Suffolk Posts: 20

    Love them both! Thank you! I think we may have some Euphorbia in the back garden. As I'm sure it's perfectly obvious ?? I'm enthusiastic but certainly know very little about gardening... Any idea what this is? It'a hiding some drain pipes and covering a trellis. Huge thanks. imageimage

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,093

    Possibly Parthenocissus?  http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/parthenocissus-quinquefolia/classid.1692/ 

    Can be rampant so needs keeping under control, but the autumn colour is worth any amount of hard work.  

    Can I ask, which part of Suffolk (vaguely) are you in? image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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