Grassed area at the side of my house.

Hi all.

I moved into my new house two years ago and have had some great results in my garden but there is one part of my garden I am not happy with.

It is down the side of my house and measures 30 inches wide by 120 inches long,the problem I have is it never looks as good as the rest of my garden.it is south west facing and has a 4foot wall then 30 inches of a grassed area then 18 inches of path then the house wall.

I am going to take up the grassed area and plant it with flowers but I need advice on the best flowers / shrubs to plant.I am only going to plant perennials.

I have already got clematis growing up the wall,but need advice on the rest.

I have been gardening for a number of years and do have some ideas of what I want so I am only after advice on some plants which would look good in this area,  

A lot depends on preferred colours, preferred season of interest and also how cold and exposed it is in winter as well as how much rain it gets and what type of soil you have - alkaline, neutral, acidic, sandy, silty, loam or clay - and how much maintenance you are able to do.  Some plants look after themselves, others need regular pruning, shaping, dead-heading.

Do you see it from your windows or just when out in the garden?  That makes a difference as to whether it needs to look good all year or just in the more clement months.

Either way, I would plant a mixture of spring bulbs with perennials or maybe a good year round shrub to give foliage, flwoer and maybe perfume a different times throughout the year.s.

What about planting lots of low growing alpines with gravel on the surface and the occassional larger stone. An ex neighbour of mine did this to great effect.

It's a bit different and could easily give year round interest. Also fairly easy to maintain as it's not your main garden

Hi Obelixx.

It is sandy soil and maintenance is not a problem as I enjoy the garden.

This part of the garden I can see from my dinning room window so colour is very important.

Rain well who knows!

As its quite a small area how about some of the smaller Hebes - they are usually fairly tidy so wont bother the path, evergreen and with lovely flowers.

If perennials what about some perennial herbs - they would enjoy the sandy soil and sun and release some scent when you brish by them on the path?