Can anything grow near a privet hedge?

[glitterbiscuits]

The sun is at last shining and I’m desperate to get outside.

Our garden is bordered one side by some privet hedge. It’s ok but very dull. Can I plant anything near it to add some colour and interest? It’s very dry ground as the privet is at the top of a slight slope. I’m happy to dig in some compost but it will still drain quickly.

I can only think of daffodils!

I have a bed in front of a privet hedge . I did make the bed wider and then I bought a little platform thingy to straddle the bed so that I could still cut it .

I mulch it a lot with bark .

I have rose campion and achillea which do well but I will be watching with interest as I do struggle with this patch

I just googled. Rose campion. I recognise it but couldn’t have named it
However apparently it’s also known as Bridget in her bravery! Love that name

Oh excellent - Bridget in her bravery !

Oh I've got nerines www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=933 at the front of the border .Big bulbs that like to bake away in the summer and then they burst into tall stems with big bright pink flowers on top .

What about Siberian Iris? Beautiful for around two weeks in May/June depending where you live. Ours are very happy in dry soil near both yew and privet.

Buddelia? You can buy some beauties these days and they’re great for insects.

Penstemon; Astrantia; hardy geraniums; Agapanthus; Michaelmas Daisies; Alliums (probably not A. Giganteum, more like Christophii, Sphaerocephalon, Purple Sensation etc); species roses.

I grew up with privet hedges all round the family garden (heavy clay soil) and although it dried out, the borders beside the hedges are still beautiful after 54 years of continuous cultivation. Now I have yew and privet on a hillslope and all the plants I’ve listed do very well (western Britain).