Brick planters

[jugglingmonkey]

Hello,

My husband has built a new wall in our front garden, separating us and the neighbours. He has incorporated two brick planters, fairly shallow, but wide.

Presumably these will need lining with a membrane? In which case, what plants would be suitable for year round greenery? It's a full sun location. Ideally I'd like something hardy and low maintenance.

I'm worried that because it's going to be membrane lined, there'll be no drainage whatsoever?

Either poke holes in it and top with a small layer of gravel or use weed suppressing fabric which is already drainagy

Holes where?? In the base? The base directly drains into the paved driveway - the brick are built up on top.

Could I do the following?

Line with membrane.
Then layer broken slate, gravel and then compost to at least create a bit of drainage?

I have also read about coconut coir lining... Could I use some of that too??

Ah right now I understand. There's no earth below the planters, just paved driveway. I thought you were wanting weeds not to come up from the earth through the membrane

In that case you need to plant plants that are going to need very little water or you'll perish the paving underneath. So like a gravel garden with succulents or a Mediterranean dry garden with lavender/Rosemary/thyme.

Yes, either drainage you propose is fine. You want as little moisture as possible to stay in the planter.

Wonderful, thanks for that. I'll do the gravels on top of the membrane, with French lavender (better for sun?), and poss some thyme and rosemary too.
Would grasses work? I picked up a festuca last week that would look lovely...

I would think so though I'm no expert on dry or gravel gardens

It sounds lovely

What is underneath the bricks that make up the driveway ? I'm guessing it's type one .

You coudl remove some of the bricks that are in the middle of the planter , so you can see the type one . Then paint the inside of the brick planter with bituminous paint , to waterproof it ( just the bit that will be covered with soil ) .

The weedproof membrane is just to stop the soil coming out the bottom of the planter and muddy water running across your driveway . It lets water pass through , otherwise it woudl become a pond !

Mediterranean plants are a great idea for a shallow planter in full sun . Use John Innes no 2 ( soil based ) and grit for free drainage. Not compost .