Front of house border ideas

[CremeDeSudo]

Hi all

We've recently moved into a new build house and the builders planted shrubs around the front garden with wood chippings. We really don't like it, but not sure what to plant there. We've never had a 'proper' garden so fairly clueless! Hoping you can help.

So it's a border going around the front garden about a foot deep, it's it full sun for a significant part of the day, including the hottest part.

I'd like something that requires minimal care and looks pretty.

Does anyone have any suggestions please? Or can you point me somewhere for inspiration?

TIA

Define what you think looks 'pretty'

And how much care is minimal? If it's full sun, you're going to need to water at the very least.

Cheap and cheerful, change once or twice a year bedding?

Modern/ architectural style with gravel and big grasses etc?

Cottage garden style

Have a look at pinterest and find something you like first

Yes watering is fine, happy to replant in spring and trim/deadhead occasionally if needed.

I saw someone recommended escallonia on another thread - that looks pretty! I'll look on pinterest and share some...

I've planted up a little area at the front of our house with stuff like thyme and fleabane which will cover ground and hopefully minimise the need for wedding! Have planted spring bulbs underneath so we get some lovely colour from March onwards. Lavender is low maintenance and lovely and interspersed with box can look really nice?

I can't work out how to add pics from the app?

Minimal weeding pls!

Fleabane is nice! I love daisy type flowers

So I like these..

This is what we have

Roses are pretty low maintenance, deadhead after they flower, prime in march ( really easy, lots of tutorials on the net, and rhs did trials where they carefully shipped, or used a chain saw, and the results were the same!).
Go to David Austin website, pick ones that you love the look of, that flower repeatedly, and that are the right size for your plot, are disease resistant and scented too if that is important. It's ask clear on the website. For about £15 you can have 20 years of beauty.

Then if you want you can grow bulbs, and/ or annuals between them. At the moment I have white roses with blue nigella amongst them. It makes me happy every day.

The picture is of a spring garden so if you want something like that in blue and white at the moment, I would go for Veronica Shirley Blue, Campanula, lobelia and gentian. For the white choose pelagoirnium, white cosmos purity and white verbena.

The picture looks like the border is against the pavement. If so avoid things that will break easily,like delphinium or lupins..

If it was me, I would leave the shrubs in place for protection and dig a trench in front of them for planting.

Apologies to the previous poster, but I'd avoid rose bushes, when not in flower they are ugly.

I'd go for something that is ground covering and flowering, something like candytuft ( the white image) or Dalmatian bellflower ( the purple) .

As a novice one of my mistakes was too small beds so I defintely agree with suggestion to keep the exisiting planted shrubs and plant behind ( ie between the house and the shrub ) .

I like the white pom pom flower bushes in your second pic ,but no idea what they are .

Oh and ,I sort of hate to raise this but only do so because a sticht in time ...but maybe the grass could do with some tlc . But not sure what .
Sorry ,unhelpful emoji .

What would you do with the wood chippings? Chuck it and put soil down? And won't the shrubs grow too tall and block any flowers behind? Digging out turf seems like it would be quite a difficult job?

I love the purple and white flowering bushes from Bluntness - will they keep flower each year?

Also love the ideal of alternating lavender and white flowers in my second pic..not sure what would be a good alternative? Would the white bush work?

And yes, the lawn is a work in progress! We've been seeding and have some lawn food ready to do this wkend. OH is watering it every evening too. Any other tips gratefully received!

Would lavender, asters and white cosmos work d'you think?

I think the poster meant in front, so that the shrubs were behind. If you don't like the wood bark you can get rid of them, but they do keep the weeds out and the water in. Eventually they will rot down anyway.

I think the combination you have suggested is perfect.

Oh I see. I'm not sure I'd be able to do that without moving the shrubs back. We've already got loads of weeds which is partly why I don't like the wood chippings and a few cats have pooed in them!

I'll try those then. Thanks! Wish me luck

Definitely get rid then and the shrubs too. I have heard that some types of bark attrack cats. I don't envy you digging that our in this hot weather

@bluntness100 you could be right about roses. I have ones that bloom 5 months of the year ( thank you David Austen) , and as my garden slopes down away from the house, and it's a cottage with small windows, I only really look at it when im sitting or eating outside.
Different strike for different folks.

I won't get chance for a little while so fingers crossed it cools down

How about a lavender hedge or some coloured hebes instead of the shrubs. Hydrangeas are also nice but need lots of water and could be planted in between with smaller plants?