Underplanting under a bench... What to use ?

[FigmentOfYourImagination]

Hi all

I have a triangular pergola in my garden with a metal bench underneath it. I'd like to underplant beneath it but I don't know what plants to go for.

The soil in the area is quite heavy and not overflowing with nutrients although I am happy to add soil conditioner/fertilizer to it to make it a little more hospitable. It is in dappled shade for most of the day.

This is the bench so you can get an idea of the height and also the amount of light that will come through the seat slats.

Any ideas ?

I love the low growing perriwinkles - vinca minor - probably go for non-variagated species as its partially shaded.

Thanks mistlethrush

I tried growing those in another part of my garden but they really didn't take at all. I tried vinca minor Gertrude Jekyll and also a varigated vinca major but they both really struggled and are pretty much dead now. Which reminds me, I must take them out and dispose of them !

what about thyme?

Crikey - is that possible?? They are like weeds in my garden, which is about he least hospitable place you can imagine (heavy clay, exposed hillside, west of scotland, so howling gale most of the year, shadetastic, overhanging trees).

How about lamium (deadnettle)? They do well in dry shade and are pretty.

There are some really nice nettles too (not stinging nettles!) - ground cover ones. If you've had problems before, I think that the best option would be to try several things and then if one or two take over it won't matter. My parents had a really difficult slope that they managed to get covered using
yellow archangel and vinca minor - with the periwinkle, just have plain version - haridest.

In terms of the degree of shade you could even try some bluebells.

Before you plant, dig over the ground (make sure you don't compact it more when you do this though) and, if you can, enrich with some compost. Then mulch around the plants with a good layer of chippings or similar - this helps to keep down the weeds but also helps to retain moisture.

Midnight - crossed posts!

great minds mistlethrush. I have quite a lot of lamium silver beacon - v pretty.

MIdnight - that's lovely - but I suggested the yellow archangel as its a bit hardier and if FOYI is managing to kill of vinca in various other parts of the garden, I thought hardiness and persistence is probably very important!

I think Thyme or chamomile would be good as they smell nice and can be walked on.
Sweet Woodruff and Creeping Jenny also an option, Woodruff good in shade and foliage and flowers are pretty and app they are scented too...
plantswithpurpose.co.uk/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70&products_id=340

Are we talking planting directly into grass Figment?
I would try woodland plants. Mistlethrush said bluebells which would be nice. Ferns and grasses would be good.
ferns are doing well in our east facing beds, pretty full shade and very heavy clay
if it is paved, gravel or some sort of bed I would go for sempervivum I've got a seating area underplanted with these succulents and it's beautiful as well as being no work at all.

Yes, I underplanted my roses with perriwinkles and they hated it. Just died on me. All 3 plants. It's about the only plant disaster I've ever had (have only been gardening for about 5/6 years)

Thyme certainly won't be happy in dappled shade though - really needs full sun and doesn't like heavy soils (I have to grow mine in tubs due to clay) Woodruff is lovely - I have it under a lilac which is also partially shaded by a sycamore and willow - so it can cope with quite a shaded location - it looks lovely at this time of year though, good enough to eat.

The bench sits on slate shale so not in grass. I like the idea of bluebells.

I'm not so sure about the succulents. They look a bit like alien species to me

The wall behind the bench is painted in a creamy off white and has a purple clematis growing up it, if that makes a difference.

the bench is pale sage green

Thanks for the advice so far guys. Really helpful

I used to have a red hot poker in the place where the bench now sits and that did fantastically well (almost too well actually, it took over!), so anything with similar likes and dislikes to that would prob do well.

Galium isn't a succulent, its a delicate looking woodland plant though can be quite invasive, better pic here
www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=www.missouriplants.com/Whiteopp/Galium_odoratum_plant.jpg&imgr efurl=www.missouriplants.com/Whiteopp/Galium_odoratum_page.html&h=666&w=580&sz=112&tbnid=lrvl 0oQhw7M1-M::&tbnh=138&tbnw=120&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dgalium%2Bodoratum%2Bphoto&hl=en&usg=_rErysPI2g5uR AGCz3h92ofPlsvg=&ei=BMPISenPO6SLjAfFlsjVAw&sa=X&oi=imageresult&resnum=4&ct=image&cd=1

And there is a ground cover Thyme on this page which likes part to full shade so this is deffo an option
www.buyherbs.co.uk/saladbrunet_savory_sorrel_thyme_plants.html

sorry shoudl say full sun to part shade...

A partial solution might be violets, if you're happy with something very ground hugging. I had them underplanting shrubs in my old garden - very pretty flowers in the spring with a lovely scent.

You could underplant them with some autumn/winter flowering bulbs if you want some interest throughout the year...

Message withdrawn

Hellbores, oh yes. Am going through a hellebore phase myself. They're so...shiney....

and love clay!

Hellebores are gorgeous but bit big/chunky IMO for underplanting such a delicate looking bench.
This site might be useful Fig
www.plantsforshade.co.uk/

That page has reminded me - Alchemila is great and should do OK in this situation.