plants for gravel garden?

[jakesmum30]

We're going to cover our small front garden with gravel and landscape fabric, what plants would look good? Trying to make it maintenance free (as I love gardening in back garden, but have to stand on pavement to tend to front garden!) so evergreens would be good. I love grasses, anyone got any that look good all year round?
Thank you!

[isthatporridgeinyourhair]

Depends on what space you have really but;

Shrubs/sub shrubs: Euphorbia characias or wulfeni are evergreen and gorgeous in spring. Rosa glauca or pimpenellifolia. Perovskia. Caryopteris. Santolina

Perennials; Euphorbia mysinities is lower growing and evergreen too. Sedums. Bergenias.Verbascum.

Grasses; Stipa tenuissima, splendens and gigantea. Poa labillardieri.

Bulbs: Alliums, Tulipa hageri

Sorry could, go on and on!

[GrendelsMum]

I'll second everything that Porridge says, with the caveat that it sounds like your front garden's quite small, so I can't see there's room for Rosa glacua, and Stipa gigantea might look a bit out of proportion.

Why not have a look at Beth Chatto's 'Gravel Garden' book - your local library might have it.

Or there were some really interesting gardens at Chelsea this year - Tom Hoblyn's garden might have some inspiration:

www.rhs.org.uk/Shows-Events/RHS-Chelsea-Flower-Show/2010/Gardens/A-to-Z/Foreign---Colonia l-Investments-Garden

Is it in sun or shade?

[jakesmum30]

Thanks for the ideas! The garden is in full sun all day. Will check out the Beth Chatto book. I saw 'zebra grass' at the garden center, will check if that's evergreen. The bed is about 1.5m wide, and goes round the front and side of the house so is about 9m long.