Windy parking bay
joffjarvis
Posts: 6
I would be grateful for any help having just moved from a flat. I have a car parking bay the size of two cars, it's on a main road that has quite a large volume of cars, coaches, camper vans and lorries. This traffic obviously makes the parking space quite a hostile environment. I would love to add some colour and tidy the bay up. Can anyone recommend some plants, that like pots and wind. The wall is about 3 ft high. I can provide a photo if that helps. I would be very interested in what is recommended as it could be made really lovely. Many thanks. Jonathan
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A photo would be really helpful jeffjarvis ... the uploading to this site has a bit of a glitch, but start by clicking on the camera icon ... if the photo doesn't upload reducing it in size usually works
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Do you want plants for seasonal colour or all year round interest? Is it sunny or in shade?
I'll try and upload a couple of pictures. It gets quite sunny, when we actually get the sun here. It is open to the elements though. Anything really that livens it up.
It's a bit narrow. I would worry about pots meaning you can't snuggle cars up against the wall for safety and also that pots would go walkies.
Maybe you could consider building a heavy timber planter along the wall and in between where the two spaces meet and then fill with compost and plant permanent spring bulbs with changing annuals for spring summer and autumn displays and something evergreen for winter.
It could have a trellis at the back to allow for climbers but they would need to be wind resistant.
Choice of plants depends on your temperature range so where are you? You would also need to be prepared to water your chosen container(s) often - every day in summer and sometimes twice in a hot spell.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
I would plant something in the garden, in the ground, that will climb up over the top edges to provide some color. Attach some wires to give the climber something to cling to in the wind would help, and a bit of training and tying in to help it drape down over the other side. Or even something that will stick up above the top of the wall. You could stretch a wire on the inside of the wall to tie in plants that provide some color. A row of hollyhocks would look lovely. Especially with some sort of rose climbing up and tumbling across the top and down the front of the wall.
I really like that idea, I hadn't thought about using the other side of the wall. I like hollyhocks as well, there are some in the garden already. I prefer pots just in case I need to move them ie for a delivery. I just think the wall looks drab. I live in south Devon, watering isn't a problem. Your right though it is quite narrow so I think I'll start from the garden.
If that is also your garden then think about some repeat flowering rambling roses to climb up and over it. David Austin have a selection in white, yellow and pink. I expect Malvern Hills and Lady of the Lake would do it nicely or a Rambling Rector or a Kiftsgate if you want something really big and don't mind single flowering followed by berries. You could put one of the bigger clematis viticellas up thru it for later flower colour.
Just need to make very good planting holes at least 183/45cms away from the base of the wall so they are not in a rain shadow.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
Thank you all for taking the time to respond. Yes definitely rose's and I shall explore those varieties this evening. And yes I shall heed your advice on the planting as it does get wet here.