What would you plant in a south-facing bed under a bay window?

[Stillwearingskinnies]

We are not keen gardeners at all and we would like some ideas for a bed under a bay window. We're looking for low-maintenance, a bit of colour and greenery.
I was thinking something mid-height for closest to the wall and something short in front. I don't want fussy, or a jumble of different things. Something more neat and attractive.
Would appreciate any advice. Thanks

How deep is the bed? I'd probably plant lavenders, and plant lots of tulip bulbs under them in autumn. You would have to trim them back each year, but not much us less maintenance than that!

The bed is about 3ft deep under the bay window, and then sections that are about 4ft deep either end.
Tulips would be nice for colour, good idea.
What about some hydrangea at the back, sort of thing? Or are they a bit old fashioned?!

I just filled mine with a selection of salvia. Hardy, drought tolerant and you only need to hack them back in early spring as maintainance.

My salvia 'hot lips' flower from may until November most years!

Scented Roses with bulbs and hardy geraniums as ground-cover.

Mine has hydrangeas, with a climbing rose (a Claire Austin, from memory, which is the only climbing rose I found which is okay in the shade) by the front door.

Hydrangeas would look lovely. Or a block of roses, so they from a hedge.

Agapanthus love the sun and you don’t have to water once established.
Beautiful blooms that lasts for weeks,
Stunning and hardy.

Euonymus Silver Queen is a good backdrop - nice green and white evergreen foliage. Then some lavender in front - Hidcote is nice and compact. But it doesn’t flower for very long, so put some Geranium Rozanne in, they flower for ages. Not exactly neat and tidy but very pretty and dies right back over winter.
A small rose bush either side if you have room (if you browse online there are loads to choose from) and some spring bulbs.

Agapanthus is lovely and I love the idea of roses. Salvia is a good one. Hot lips is a fabulous colour.
Thanks everyone

I'm genuinely in awe of all you green-fingered people. So much knowledge and inspiration

I second salvias - something big and bushy like Amistad or smaller like Love and Wishes would look nice. I do like Hot Lips too, they are so reliable and get quite big. I'm a fan of Nepeta for full sunny borders too, I have a few different ones (they come in all sorts of sizes) and they do well.

My rosemary bushes do well in full sun; I do like lavender but you need really well-draining soil to keep them happy and they will need a good chop a couple of times a year to stop them from going all leggy.

I do like Erigeron too, they get wide but stay quite low so are nice for front of borders.

If you pick a hydrangea make sure it's one that likes full sun rather than partial shade. The old fashioned hydrangeas always do better for me in sunshine than the cultivated ones.

And if you have a wall then you can't go wrong with a star jasmine to climb up it. Mine is very low maintenance and a really reliable show of flowers plus lovely scent.

If it's only 3ft deep, I'd be wary of most roses as they'll snag you as you walk past - they'll lean toward the light. Most hydrangeas won't like baking on a south facing wall, and might be too big. Both options are beautiful in flower, but maybe a little dull for the rest if the year...

Lavenders, interspersed with tulip bulbs then album bulbs would be nice. If you want something more structural, clip the Lavender into round balls and put Stipa Tunissima in the gaps between (it's a soft fluffy grass).

And if you have a wall then you can't go wrong with a star jasmine to climb up it.

Star jasmine aren't fully hardy so it depends where she is in the UK. Common jasmine (Jasminum officinale) and winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) are better bets, but be aware that winter jasmine has no scent.

In a south facing border you have lots of choices but probably want a woody shrub rather than a perennial. Agree lavender is a great idea, you could have rosemary and thyme as well.

Thank you @JaninaDuszejko
i love the aroma of lavender
We are in the south east btw.

Salvia, lavender and roses. You’ll have gorgeous colour and little maintenance.

Convolvulus cnoreum. Siver leaves, white flowers for weeks. Won’t mind the dryness of the situation, against the house. Colourful annuals look great with it, as do low evergreens.

@JaninaDuszejko totally off topic but I finished Drive Your Plow just this week. Loved it, am guessing you did too! 😊