What and when to plant under a hedge - advice please

[Starlingsarebullies]

I am a beginner gardener. I have a west facing garden with clay soil.

On the left hand side of my garden I have a long red robin hedge - underneath is a narrow border currently populated by grass and nettles. I would like to plant something perennial and hardy in the border to provide some ground cover and ideally some colour. I have been looking at vinca, but am slightly worried about keeping it under control.

I would be grateful for some suggestions of suitable plants and also what time of year I would need to plant it.

I have made several mistakes in the garden already (wrong plants in the wrong place) so am keen to avoid this.

I have snowdrops, solomon's seal and houttuynia cordata under a long hedge in my garden, which I picked for their ability to thrive in shade, and they've all done well. The houttuynia was put in during the summer a few years ago, and took a few years to get going but is looking fab at the moment. The snowdrops I planted 'in the green' in spring (so after they've finished flowering). The solomon's seal was also planted during the spring.

However, the previous owners had also put rosemary and narcissi under the hedge which I would have thought would have struggled and they seem to do really well so its never an exact science as far as I can tell!
Don't worry about making mistakes- we all do it! Most plants are tougher than you think, and you can dig things up and move them around and they'll generally recover. My aunt, who is my absolute gardening guru, has got a fabulous climbing white Mexican Potato Vine in her garden. When I admired it she told me she'd moved three times before she found its happy place!
I'd recommend looking at the Crocus website, they have very detailed filters which you can apply to match the conditions in your garden, and then you can then add things to a wish list as they take your fancy meaning you don't have to take the plunge straight away. My wish list has been running more years than I care to remember and now I just need a bigger garden for all the plants I'd like!! They also have very detailed plant care guides and a five year guarantee on their plants. No, I promise don't work for them, I just think that they're absolutely fab!

@Wildwood6. Thanks for your detailed reply. I will be busy googling as, I have not heard of many of the plants you mention. The crocus website sounds useful.

You could also look at geraniums (not the large pelargoniums that need to be in pots) but buy the small ones, (Johnson's blue is lovely) they spread anyway, I didn't and the larger type are taking over!

Try to leave some grass and nettles anyway for the wildlife (hedgehogs need undergrowth) of course!

Try to leave some grass and nettles anyway for the wildlife (hedgehogs need undergrowth) of course!

Don’t worry even if I clear under the hedge, the rest of garden will still be full of nettles, grass and ivy 🤣. I have a lot of work to do, so thought I would start small rather than trying to do it all at once (and getting it wrong)

I’ve just googled the Johnson’s blue - I didn’t realise they’re geraniums. Lots of people have them in their front garden so I presume they will do well here

Yes there are a lot of pretty varieties with interesting leaves too. They are quite hardy.

Tulips did really well for me this Spring, under a privet hedge