What will thrive here?

[JamHoneyMarmite]

I've got a long narrow strip of flower bed that runs alongside my drive. I have climbing roses growing happily on wires on the fence there, but am struggling with what to plant at low level. It gets a lot of sun but is quite exposed. I tried French lavender and it was a dismal failure. English lavender in a nearby bed (at right-angles and a bit more sheltered by the house) seems to love it, so if all else fails I could have more of that, but wondered if others had more creative ideas?

If you want something a bit different you could try rosemary, thyme, various types, sage, they are happy in sunshine and fairly dry soil, I have them in clay soil but add some sand. They also look good with lavender. Some of the English lavenders are more hardy than others, so suggest choosing carefully if you get more. I don't think you can ever have too much lavender, but also love rosemary and lemon thyme.

Good advice from Anul. I would also sort out the soil - dig in loads and loads of compost, and some grit.

My south-facing front garden is very shallow and fiercely drained, and it just bakes even here in the north. I find I have to water even very drought-tolerant plants that I put in to get them to establish - and I just keep adding bag after bag of compost every spring and autumn.

Mmm, enjoying the scents just thinking of those - thanks, I wouldn't have thought of sage, and those sound a lovely combination. I definitely need to dig in compost and now that you say it, adding grit makes brilliant sense.

I recently bought cotton lavender "Lemon Fizz" which is supposed to be drought-tolerant, it has an interesting scent a bit like the curry plant, I thought. Also sedum does well in full sun. If soil is very poor/stony you could try one of the smaller varieties of Cistus as they are supposed to thtive in poor rocky Mediterranean soils.

I have allium in my border that gets sun all day and they seem to love it

Sorry posted too soon, they grow quite tall but they look great with lower level herbs such as sage