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Advice for Spreading Plant

saltskisaltski Posts: 50

Hello, I have a really nice spreading plant that I bought especially for a new planter on my new decking (that I've built myself image!!!)

The plants I've got are Clematic Chantilly for heigt up the fence with next door and Geranium Rozanne, for ground cover in the planter, just those two plants (for now). I have a question though about how to best utilise the planter and the geranium.

I want to be able to keep the planter decorative, it'll be about 80cm x 70cm and about 30cm deep (not built as yet). And dont want to see a lot of bare soil so my first though was to cover it with stones or gravel, but this would necessitate a cover of fabric to keep the stones/soil separate. If the geranium is a plant that spreads, will I hinder it's growth by using stones and fabric?

Shoul dI just put up with seeign the soil until the plant is big enough to spread to fill the planter? I know this wont take too long as it a vigorous specimine, any advice will be greatfully received!

Posts

  • SalinoSalino Posts: 1,609

    ..I think planters look nice using decorative chippings to cover the soil... I wonder why you need a fabric covering too...?  I don't use that personally but suppose it would be alright....I would find it a bit superfluous in this case...

    ..I have Geranium 'Rozanne' in containers on it's own...it's too vigorous in the ground for me... but perhaps I wouldn't use it with another plant in the same pot...prefer to see it on it's own really....

    ...I also have a planter....a trough shape...but a good size... and in mine, instead of the Clematis you have...I've got a rose that I will use as a short climber..there is a frame behind it, attached to the trough... with this rose I have planted Deschampsia 'Tatra Gold'... an ornamental grass.. Uncinia rubra...another grass... 2 Iberis sempervirens 'Snowflake'.. at corner points, and 1 each of Helianthemum 'Ben Fhada' and Lithodora 'Grace Ward'...

    ...I have used decorative chippings 'Autumn Gold' to cover...

    ..I think that's enough...and it looks quite nice...it'll get better in time and if something takes over...then it will come out...

  • TantyTanty Posts: 59

    Hi - What about Vinca Minor La Grave (virtually indestructible, very low plant, pretty blue flowers and lovely greenery - or Creeping Jenny?  Or, of course, something like Thyme Serpyllum - carpet forming, wee pink flowers in Spring/ Summer?  Hope that helps!

  • GWRSGWRS Posts: 8,478

    A cheap solution is go to B & Q a buy a bag of 10ml gravel , it will look nice until the plant covers it image

  • saltskisaltski Posts: 50

    Thanks for all the advice guys, I'm going to be constructng the planter this week (if the weather gets better) so hopefully will be allplanted out very soon.

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