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Gardening

Find tips and tricks to make your garden or allotment flourish on our Gardening forum.

Inspiration for scrubby bit

12 replies

SalaciousCrumble · 17/01/2021 17:19

Over the last few years I've been working on the garden and am getting it to a point where I am happy. However, there's a narrow strip between the drive and fence (maybe 2m wide x 3m long, on a slight slope) which is dominated by a large lilac. To one side is a wild patch which is slowly getting less scrubby and busier with wild carrot, a mix of grasses etc. The other side is more sloped and is a rockery with succulents and alpine plants. I've left the scrubby bit for a couple of years now and it's still patchy and ugly and just seems to foster the ugliest weeds (apart from a part carpet of lovely ipheion uniflorum at the base of the lilac).

I could really do with something low maintenance. What would you do? Maybe I need to dig over and re-seed with wild flowers to extend the wild area? Or some low maintenance ground cover? Would love some suggestions please, I just feel very uninspired by this little patch!

OP posts:
MrsBertBibby · 17/01/2021 18:35

What sort of sun does it get?

mathanxiety · 17/01/2021 18:41

What's the aspect?

Decorative, low growing, tufty grasses are very low maintenance.

Hostas are hard to kill and good in shade.

Myrtle is a nice ground cover and very hardy.

You could plant grape hyacinths or other bulbs in a random pattern among the ground cover for seasonal interest.

Primroses and other perennials are also nice in a rockery.

FuzzyPuffling · 17/01/2021 21:22

Ajuga reptans? Creeps about, has nice blue flowers, is bombproof.

FuzzyPuffling · 18/01/2021 08:02

Crocosmia? Seems to grow anywhere and there are choice sorts as well as the usual orange variety.

SalaciousCrumble · 18/01/2021 09:23

Ah yes it's south facing but to the north of the house, so fairly shady in the winter but still gets decent sun.

I have planted a few grape hyacinths and snowdrops which looks nice. Myrtle looks quite tall? Or am I looking at the wrong one?

Fuzzy will have a look at Ajuga Reptans, don't know it. We have had crocosmia in the garden before and I don't love it. I can't really explain why though! Might need to reconsider as it has good foliage.

Tufty grasses could also be good, any particular recommendations for varieties? Hakonechloa looks quite nice but think it would be expensive to plant - are ornamental grasses easy to grow from seed?

OP posts:
MrsBertBibby · 18/01/2021 10:14

Don't know about grasses, but I am a big fan of erigeron. Flowers for months and months, needs no tlc, and the foliage keeps going all winter.

SalaciousCrumble · 18/01/2021 12:02

Yes MrsBertBibby I love it too. Have a patch towards the front of the area actually and elsewhere in the garden. Hadnt thought about using more of it, food for thought

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RealisticSketch · 19/01/2021 17:32

I'm a big fan of ferns, love their sculptural appearance and they are very low maintenance, cope well in shade and on does and lots of native varieties which would suit a spot like that.

RealisticSketch · 19/01/2021 18:00

Your question just got me thinking about my own garden and I ended up on the find a plant web page, what a good function! Great filters to narrow down your choices, try it if you haven't already. 😊

RealisticSketch · 19/01/2021 18:00

RHS web page that is!

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 19/01/2021 18:01

Rhubarb. Definitely.

SalaciousCrumble · 19/01/2021 18:35

Oh yes realisticsketch I love a good fern! Will also have a look at the RHS website.

LadyMonica I'm surprised you didn't suggest regale lillies! But hadn't thought of rhubarb and it's actually really got me thinking thank you!

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