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Gardening

Plant suggestions welcome

(30 Posts)
MaizieD Tue 03-Nov-15 16:04:23

Thanks for suggestions so far. smile

I don't think we'll be underplanting until the autumn as we have some very determined rosbay willow herb to get rid of first (glyphosate..)

I'm not sure about cneonorum, it didn't survive the winter in my garden and the one we're working on is higher; but the groundcover ideas are great.

Many thanks for ideas. Keep 'em coming grin

rosesarered Tue 03-Nov-15 15:50:24

Purple sage ( can be evergreen) low growing rock roses, cneonorum convolvulus ( evergreen with white blooms),ceonothus, the small kind.
Very low ground cover; ajuga, aubretia, saxifrage.

Nelliemoser Tue 03-Nov-15 15:09:07

MazieD It's not exactly the time of year but have a good nose around all the local gardens parks etc you can find to get some ideas.

Nelliemoser Tue 03-Nov-15 15:05:22

I was just wondering if too much underplanting of small shrubs may compete too much with the water and nutrition needed by the roses. However It sounds an exciting project.

Try Low growing perennials?

London Pride, Saxifraga × urbium, it is very pretty and grows close to the ground to keep weeds well at bay. It spreads easily by runners.

Ajuga reptans | bugle/RHS Gardening

Wild thyme.
search.thompson-morgan.com/seeds/Low%20Growing%20Perennials

Many more I am sure.
All of these are really hardy and disease and pest resistant. They are also shallow rooted and easy to pull up out of the ground. If and when they are getting too crowded.
Send us some pictures when it gets going.

MaizieD Tue 03-Nov-15 14:22:50

I'm currently doing some voluntary work helping to restore a garden. it has four large quadrant beds which can be viewed from all sides. The original suggestion was that they were planted up with just roses but (being an awkward old woman) I thought it would look a bit 'municipal' and suggested that we mix roses with easy care perennials and low growing evergreen shrubs to give some winter interest. So, of course, I've been asked to suggest some. The soil is neglected heavy clay which we are working to improve but it will take a year or two (or maybe longer sad). We're in the North East. We don't have much money for plants.

Does anyone have any ideas for plants to accompany the roses. We are planning to have bush roses and obelisks of climbers in the centre of the bed so I think we need plants low enough not to compete with them.

So far I've thought of low growing 'mound forming' hebes, companulas, sedum spectabile, nepeta, perennial geranuims, cistus, phlox and hardy penstomen.

Struggling for smallish evergreen shrubs and I'm sure there must be many more good mannered perennials but my mind's a blank! Any suggestions would be much appreciated smile