What long flowering plants can I put in this 4x1m border?

[MissisBoote]

I have a nice little sunny sheltered patch just outside the kitchen window that needs attention.

I have a sedum, Astrantia and Veronicastrum in there atm and spaces where plants have died over the years and haven't been replaced.

The sedum needs dividing as its massive and I'm thinking about moving the Veronicastrum as it's very tall. The bees do love it though.

I want low maintenance, plants that grow/flower about thigh high and are long flowering. I like blues, soft pinks and purples as well as white. Happy to do deadheading, basic upkeep.

What would you all recommend?

As always I'll suggest cranesbill geraniums. They come in a variety of sizes, colours from white through to dark purple and are perennial . If you plant a good range, you'll get flowers pretty much all year.
They only need trimming after flowering.

I'd put some bulbs in as well as they are low maintenance and will cheer the spot up. Summer and spring flowering ones. Do you have space for a rosemary - the bees love it and you'll have some winter structure - as well as rosemary for lamb!

I did have geraniums in there as I love them, but as it gets the sun most of the day they used to wilt by lunchtime.

Already have a herb garden by the back door full of rosemary, thyme etc.

I forgot there are some allium bulbs in there already.

Cosmos flower all summer and beyond. Easy to grow from seed, lovely foliage and can grow over a meter tall.

I've just planted some cosmos seeds for another party of the garden. Have also got sweetpeas on the go too.

Sorry - it sounds like I'm a right fussy one.

I've been researching online this morning and think I'm going to try a salvia amistad, milky bellflower (Loddon Anne) and possibly an agastache. I'm also thinking about phlox too.

Do they sound like a good combination?

Lovely combination.

What about penstemons?

Thanks traviata I've got a penstemon somewhere else in the garden and it doesn't seem to be thriving. Don't know if it might be in the wrong place though.

Should I plant three of each? I worry about cramming plants in but want it to have the lovely Chelsea effect.

Second suggestion, campanulas. Like my beloved geraniums they also come in a variety of sizes and shades from white to purple.

Snapdragons! I had some amazing ones last year that just would not stop flowering.

I love snapdragon I do.

Perennial foxgloves are good too.

I am really surprised that hardy geraniums are wilting - I think of them as something that relishes the heat! Your border must be hot, hot, hot - it sounds as though some specialist planting is needed. Either check out Beth Chatto's amazing dry garden -it's a triumph of things that can cope without much water- OR perhaps think about dumping loads of organic matter on and a LOT of mulch to try to keep some of the water in the soil.

Lots of other lovely ideas :o

shovetheholly It's a really sheltered corner and as it's close to the house it seems to give it a greenhouse effect. It's a lovely sun trap, but come midday the leaves are drooping onto the soil.

I'm only round the corner from Beth Chatto's gardens - I know they have a lovely nursery there so will try and plan a trip in the next month or so.

I do need to get some nutrients in there soon and use wood chips to try and keep the moisture in which does work to some extent.

Ooooh, you lucky thing, that's a beautiful part of the world, I grew up round there! And I can now totally understand how your bed might be getting that hot

If the bed is getting sheltered by the house from the summer rain (which isn't exactly abundant in your part of the world), you might have to resign yourself either to dry gardening or to herbaceous planting with regular watering. Just personally, I'd do the former - I LOVE the dry garden - it's an absolutely amazing piece of design - and why grow bog standard stuff when you can put in something really unusual? I would kill for the ability to grow some of those things, but in Sheffield with our annual metres and metres of rain, it's a no-hoper. I am sure you will find some wonderful inspiration.

I love alstromeria (sp?). If you're intending to grow for a few cut flowers, they last ages and don't pong the way lilies do. You can buy mixes containing the colours you mentioned.

I love them too - my mum has a huge bed of them.
I think they're poisonous to cats though so can't have them.

How about some scabious? I love the perennial pale yellow S. ochroleuca grown with the very dark red/black annual ones. Oops, that's not in your blues/pinks palette. Wouldn't clash though!

I already have scabious in the bed that runs off it. I love them too.

Actually the scabious do seem to go a bit mildew-ey throughout the year. What can I do with them?

Mildew can be caused by water stress!

Aster frikartii Monck. Have just lifted and divided mine. Flowers for months and is no trouble.

asters are very susceptible to mildew....

Rudbeckia?

Rudbeckia like moist soil, I fear they would just wilt and fall over in the OP's conditions.

I thought some varieties like R. Fulgida were happy in dry souls?

Also dry soils! Having a dry soul is a terrible thing.