Slugs & snails in one part of the garden...

[despondentatwork]

And other parts too, I guess, but there's one bed in particular which has a wall behind it & a rockery at the other side. The blighters are everywhere in this area & have marked the white wall so badly it's needed repainting! I want to plant Lupins against the wall as there are perennial hardy geranium & Marigolds already in. What can I use to keep them away?? The dog eats beer traps & can't use pellets...

I’m sorry but I wouldn’t even consider lupins, they are very attractive to slugs.
I tried to grow them once and they were never able to grow as the slugs ate them down to the ground whenever they sprouted.
I’d try something similar like penstemon or verbascum instead

I’m by no means any expert but I use the anti slug gravel. A good thick ring around anything I want to protect. Check and replenish every day

Go out on a damp night with a torch, some gloves and a bucket. You'll be surprised just how many you find. Take them on a long walk.

Thx for those replies. I actually have Penstemon seeds..but soooo many baby Lupins grown from our own seeds. The plan that's well established at that site seems to be big enough to cope. But I fear the baby ones may be annihilated. Ha Ha Tambora...when we had hens the slugs & snails used to get walked to the hen run. Slug gravel...not poisonous?? Will check that out. Did try eggshells before, made not the slightest bit of difference.

have you tried nematodes? they made a big difference to my garden.

As @Tambora says, the only way I've ever beaten the bastards is going out every night and physically picking them out. It's gross but satisfying. Tried loads of other stuff - nematodes, sheep wee pellets, egg shells, copper tape, beer traps - but it's the only thing that sort of works. I went hard last year and have loads less this year as a result because they haven't laid eggs. Also check the bottom of your fences and gates as they can migrate in every night from neighbours gardens to feast on your delicious goodies.
It's tough though, I've been reduced to tears of frustration in the past when an entire row of young dahlia plants grown from seed have been reduced to stumps in a single night

Tried Nematodes before on a different part of the garden. Will have another go, I think. I feel your pain Cheerful, it's super frustrating when that happens...

I feel your pain OP, my garden is overrun with them. I've tried nematodes, sharp sand, nightly patrols with a torch and a bucket and I can still never seem to get on top of them. I managed to grow some sweet peas last year by putting them in a container, and then putting the container up on an old bench to keep it well clear of the ground, but other than that I've given up growing anything tasty to slugs in the ground. They're persistent little things and they just always seem to find a way.