Extending the bed in the front garden - UPDATED

[Adam D]

I am currently on 2 weeks holiday and this is the time of year when I like to get a lot of work done in the garden. I am also in a plant buying mood - you lot will know what I mean

I can't really do much to the back, but there is room to expand out front. So tonight I decided to extend the border out front by 12 to 18 inches, not very much and I would like to take more, but the wife likes her lawn...

Anyway, the front garden is north-facing and up by the house does not get any sunshine even in high-summer. My ferns have already done very well out there (so has the hedge and yes I know it needs cutting - I just need to bite the bullet and get on with it ) as the soil is free-draining and retains a lot of moisture.

I have already been buying some plants to go out there, a couple of blue Helleborus and a green one, a rodgersia pinnata and I have my eye on a wonderful bronze coloured one they had up at my local nursery. Also the cornus to the left of the dicksonia in the pot will be coming out and will be replaced by some form of Hydrangea Aspera. I recently saw a Deinanthe on GOTE and I think they are lovely plants and will hopefully pick one up at the weekend. After this I should also have some room for a fern or two.

The colour scheme for the bed will be a mixture of red, green and blue - should look lovely in the shade.

Anyway, enough rambling and here are a couple of pictures of what it looks like now.

[themes]

Acer, tree ferns and ferns. Tres magnifique

[rexwedge]

Very neat. North facing is always tricky even though so called experts tell you otherwise.

[Adam D]

Acer, tree ferns and ferns. Tres magnifique

LOL Mo.

I remember reading in another thread that you had a fetish for that mix of plants.

[themes]

Acer, tree ferns and ferns. Tres magnifique

LOL Mo.

I remember reading in another thread that you had a fetish for that mix of plants.

Its definately the kind of plants I love. I love palms with a passion, however these plants are winning me over. Trying to achieve a balance is hard. You seem to have got that pegged.

[Petefree]

It's a nice border, Adam.
There really are a lot of good shade plants for north borders...it's not a myth...some really choice things.
That Begonia grandis ssp. evansiana you were admiring elsewhere would be well suited to that spot.
Also have you got any of the Podophyllums? There are a couple that are quite trendy at the moment - and they are very nice: 'Spotty Dotty' and 'Kaleidoscope'.
Also, for nice foliage - Impatiens omeiana.
Pete

[Adam D]

Thanks for the compliment Mo.

Pete - I am going to Larch Cottage Nursery this Saturday and I have just checked out there website and they have all 3 of the plants that you are talking about. Many thanks for the recommendations

[themes]

Adam, when I did the grass in a circle shape I put bricks just below the grass level so you can pass the mower over it. that way I am not needing to constantly re-edge the lawn and strim it. I just put the lawn mower over it and thats it, it keeps its shape. Will reduce your workload considerably

[Chalk Brow]

Also the cornus to the left of the dicksonia in the pot will be coming out and will be replaced by some form of Hydrangea Aspera.

H. aspera is a must-have plant for me, I've had one form it it come with me through six gardens with me over the last 35 years. Choose your plant carefully as there are many different forms and cultivars, some with much better flower colour and leaf form than others. I've two very different cultivars in the garden now.

Some are more upright growing than others too; going on the impression I get of your garden from the pictures, you won't need to worry about reducing the lawn, the Hydrangea will do it for you, it does grow very large, especially if it gets plenty of water!

It can also be hit by a late frosts, but it recovers quickly.

[Adam D]

Hmmm, now you have me a little bit worried about my choice of H. Aspera Grenville.

I think the site would be ideal for it as the soil is moist and rich, it's shady and fairly sheltered. However, I do not think that I have the space and for the sake of domestic harmony I may have to go with something else not quite so big.

If I leave the cornus in then I can least satisfy my current craving for understory planting.

[Chalk Brow]

Sorry to frighten you off H. aspera, it really is I think a wonderful shrub. If you decide against it what about a lacecap Hydrangea instead. I imagine you probably have an acid soil, and a white Hydrangea, which would have blue fertile flowers and blue eyes to the white sterile ones can be most effective, especially in a shady position.

[Adam D]

Grenville,

I would rather know now that it could become pretty big rather than plant it out and then discover in 5 years time that it is growing too well!

I checked the pH of the soil the other day and the front garden varies between 6.4 and 6.6, so it is acidic (I remember reading somewhere that most of Scotland is acidic).

Bought a few more plants today to go out there - a Rodgersia Pinnata "Superba", a Hosta Praying Hands (very smart little hosta which I like a lot) and another Hellebore.

Off to get some manure tonight to dig into the bed and I should be ready for planting soon.

[grayk2]

I created this succulent bed in our front lawn - well away from where grandchildren play - last year. Most plants come indoors or into a cold greenhouse in the winter.

[themes]

mmmmmmmm rocks

drooling-homer-simpson.jpg (30.56 KiB) Viewed 1632 times

It looks Ace. What do you do about cutting the grass by the bricks?

[Nick]

Themes, you really do have something going on with them rocks don't you, buy yourself a quarry mate and your be able to rock your socks off to your hearts content then instead of just drooling over them