Front garden update August

[Somerset77]

Hi all, im currently building out the front of house a raised crescent moon shaped bed.

The only problem as such is that it is an exposed site and WILL get wind from all directions during the winter hence the title. (unless the neighbour carries on planting conifers of course)
Im getting reinforced concrete tracks laid down diagonally across the garden for my van so will get some protection from southerly winds when im home.

On the other hand it also gets sun pretty much ALL day

Im of course going to squeeze in some Collies, Cannas, Basjoo's (all from homegrown pups).

The pics are south facing. (Sorry they are not great)

[greendragon]

I'm guessing you are looking for tree suggestions? If so then do it the Victorian way and put in an Araucaria Araucana. If your in your 30s now it may look like this when you are getting close to dying of old age;

[tropicalwon]

Some of the clumping forms of Bamboo would make a good screen/wind brake and also protect the other plants you said your going to plant.

Gray

[Addictedtopalms26]

3 trachycarpus's with Vinca minor or major (periwinkle) underplanting

[flounder]

Cordyline, chamaerops, fargesia and an olearia of some kind, maybe macrodonta(will need pruning to keep in bounds). I wouldn't underplant with vinca in full sun though....maybe sempervivums and sedums

[redsquirrel]

south facing and raised sounds ideal for some dasylirions,yuccas,agaves etc.wouldnt have thought wind would affect any of them.i have a dasylirion berlanderi in my front raised bed,bone hardy and really bulking up well this year.(3rd in the ground from a tiny seedling never protected)
probably knocking on 18 ins tall now and over an inch,maybe 2 in base diameter

[Rob S]

Bamboo, Chamaerops Humilis and Trachycarpus Wagnerianus all spring to mind as the main focal point!

[Somerset77]

Just thought I'd post a little update pic
Progress has been slow the last couple of weeks due to the odd monsoon!

[tropicalwon]

Nice

[Steph]

You don't need all that compost, the gravel would make an excellent bed on its own.
OK the banana won't like it, but you could grow specacular agaves, yuccas, dasys etc and all the usual plants would also grow really well.
Thats crying out for a 3' waggy...

[Clive60]

A couple of red or yellow Phormiums, they'll take the wind.

[Somerset77]

Here's how it's coming on at the moment, slowly but surely! The bed was stocked and went through last winter with no protection except for the Basjoo and as a precaution the baby T-Rex.

Still to plant in the gravel are two Phoenix canariensis_CIDP palms and a Yucca Gloriosa (from the back garden), then can finish raking over and levelling out the gravel.
Ohh and I may get another Trachycarpus from Hardy Palms!

[greendragon]

That Fatsia is going to get sunburned badly

[Somerset77]

That Fatsia is going to get sunburned badly

Well we've had some really hot clear days since last summer and it hasn't yet!

[fieldfest]

fatsia should be ok-maybe not as green in full sun as in shade but still good

that tetrapanax will swamp anything within 6feet within the next couple of years though

looks very good by the way, but I would get rid of the blue plastic