Forum home Garden design
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Front garden very uninteresting

Matty2Matty2 Posts: 4,817

Hi

I have kept front tidy since we moved in but done nothing else. This is half the front garden.

The thing is what else??/

I have planted a ceanothus (unknown variety) but it is covered in buds now and am goin to plant, by the end of the day a climbing hydrangea to go up the wall, but at ground level?

Rosa carriola wrote (see)
image

image

This morning I have started on the front garden. That climbing hydrangea plant I am goin to put up the blank wall, I will shape bed to take in drain and use it for pots and, if I ever get on top of the couch grass will then plant a selection of shrubs and a few perennials using a colour scheme of red/orangs with odd bits of blue. There is a Queen Elizabeth rose(pink) but can't move that as the neighbours gave it me as a thank you for organising the street party. That is the wall side

Any way suggestions please for 'red' shrubs

Already on list is berberis Nana

 

In sun in morning, Shade about 2-3o'clock onwards Heavy clay soil that is improving

«13456

Posts

  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,032

    Loropetalum, but it needs winter protection. I answered on FH, but I'd said the berberis that you mention here, if it's the purple one. Nandina Domestica "Fire Power". I'd also suggested Photinia Red Robin, but it may be too tall. If you want a small red tree for somewhere there is Cercis Forest Pansy, I love it.

    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • Matty2Matty2 Posts: 4,817

    Thanks Lizzie - do not like Photinia - and it would be too tall. Will look up others image

  • Just a thought, if you're going to increase the size of the bed & might add more topsoil - best to make sure that the house's damp-course is well above soil level.  As far as shrubs go, what about Pieris "Forest Flame" ?

  • LilylouiseLilylouise Posts: 1,013
    Physocarpus Diablo is a lovely shrub with purple /bronze foliage that would go well with reds and oranges image Cotinus is another image

    Pam LL x
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,068

    Diablo can get big.  Mine has but I don't mind as it's on the border between me and an arable field.

    I would suggest samucus Black lace as an alternative with deep, dark foliage and good flower heads and which responds well to pruning back when it gets too big. 

    The colourful stemmed cornus would also be good as they get pruned each spring to grow new stems for the fresh winter colour.  Alba Sibirica has the reddest stems.   Elegans has variegated foliage and burgundy stems.  Midwinter Fire has flame effect stems but can sucker when happy and end up invading a bed.

     

     

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • LilylouiseLilylouise Posts: 1,013
    Obelixx - our Diablo is pruned hard each year as we have a small garden and it doesn't seem to mind this treatment image

    Pam LL x
  • Matty2Matty2 Posts: 4,817

    I am looking up the shrubs as they are suggested - that Nandina looks good but is a front of the border size I think

    Thanks for the hint about top soil 'Charley'

    I have sambucus in the back and have some dogwoods waiting to go in, in the back.

  • Photinia is a no, no then by the sounds B'j! Not liking etc! image

     What about a Pieris "Forest Flame" Although not totally red! image

    image

     image

Sign In or Register to comment.