Slugs & snails; what to plant/avoid

[maldivemoment]

I’m totally new to gardening (as in not-got-a-clue-what-I’m-doing-but-enjoying-it!) and trying to spruce up our front garden to ease my mind during lockdown. Victorian terrace so small & fairly shaded. It is also over run with slugs & snails. Children & I have planted loads of seeds in pots & it’s lovely to see them ‘popping up’ ( clearly not a gardening term!) however in the past anything I’ve tried to grow had been destroyed by the slimy little creatures.
We have a fabulous local nursery which is doing a roaring trade at the moment & I have booked a delivery for next week. Problem is I don’t know what to ask for. Given that I’m a complete novice, what would you recommend? I’m thinking growing everything in pots (that’s what we’ve done with the seeds) as the snails/slugs are less likely to get at them? Any plants I should definitely avoid?

I don’t think I’m looking for advice on how to get rid of the slugs and snails because I’ve tried everything. I figure I just have to accept they’re there.
Many thanks in advance.

Plants that I find they don’t go for:

• scented pinks/dianthus
• Buddleja
• erysium Bowles mauve
• erodium
• saxifrage
• malling toadflax
• roses
• fuschia
• heuchera
• jacobs ladder
• ajuga
• spring bulbs
• geraniums
• pelargoniums
• scabious
• lychnis Coronaria
• gladioli

My personal experience is that it doesn’t really matter if you plant something in a pot, or in the ground. If a slug wants to get to it, they will, so your best bet is to focus on things that don’t taste that good to them. Pots provide them with them lots of places to hide, so it can make the problem worse

Here are some things that work in my slug infested garden. All these plants are ok with shade. Bigger varieties will need a big pot (or plant them in the ground)

Hydrangeas (especially smaller leaved varieties)
Fuchsia
Bleeding heart
Geraniums (not all, but some varieties do really well in shade)
Astrantia (as above)
Japanese anemone
Camellia

I know you weren’t asking for suggestions for slug control, but have you tried nematodes? I used to have so many slugs & snails that they’d even eat plants that they’re supposed to hate, but using nematodes twice a year (spring and autumn) has helped no end. And it’s totally safe for people and other wildlife

Thank you so much. Enormously helpful.

Oh my word. Just googled nematodes!

The Victorians loved geraniums and the slugs and snail don't touch them. Have a look at the type Rozanne. I have this and it's amazing. Flowers all summer long.

Meant to say, mine is also in the shade

Also if you want some annual bedding plants to put in pots for this summer I find that nemsia and verbena are untouched by slugs and snails

We have a similar garden (clay part shaded by terrace houses). They haven’t eaten my ferns, geraniums, persicaria, astilbe, asters, tiarella, geraniums or pelargoniums.

My snails must be a bit desperate as they do like to munch on the hydrangeas. I’m having reasonable success with a combo of nematodes, coffee grounds around my hostas and a weekly garlic solution watering though.

Get some copper tape and make a barrier around the pots

Oh and a beer trap for them

You've had loads of good suggestions for slug-proof plants. As for plants to avoid, I can't grow lupins, echinacea, or French marigolds at all, they get obliterated. Slugs and snails are currently trying to destroy my bearded iris, Macedonian scabius and pulmonaria blue ensign. I second the nematode suggestion.

Many good suggestions already. Delphiniums and dahlias are other things to avoid as they're irresistible mollusc food.

Avoid sunflowers.

The woodier herbs like lavender,thyme and rosemary,marjoram. are fine too.They don't seem to eat parsley,basil,mint(this should definatly grow in a pot)
O Aso recommend going out with a touch after dark as this is when the slugs and snails feed,collect them in a tub with a lid.Onbin day put them in your non-recyclable runner sh and send them off to landfill.This won't eliminate but will limit them over time and is very satisfying.
If all else fails you can get bird friendly slug pellets which apparently put them off feeding.

This is cracking! Thank you all so much.

The woodier herbs like lavender,thyme and rosemary,marjoram. are fine too.They don't seem to eat parsley,basil,mint(this should definatly grow in a pot

While I would agree with lavender/thyme/rosemary and marjoram/oregano being slug and snail safe, in fact, pretty much all herbs are safe, basil is most definitely NOT.

I grow a lot of herbs and coriander and basil are the only two that slugs and snails go crazy for!
They do seem less keen on Greek Basil though than the more common Sweet Basil.