Any suggestions for shrub underplanting?

[Pannacotta]

Have spent the day gardening and moving things around, but I cannot work out what to plant under a large multi-stem Viburnum tinus.

It is quite tall and wide (approx 2m x 2m) but not very deep so there is around 1m depth of space in front of it which I need to fill.

There is a Ligustrum (as a standard tree) on one side and and Forest Pansy on the other so it could do with new planting which would brighten the area up a bit, preferably some evergreen cover.

The border faces East but is open and sunny, free draining soil.

Any thoughts?

TIA

You could put in some vinca which is evergreen with glossy leaves and has purple flowers in summer. Or alchemilla mollis looks lovely en masse but isn't evergreen

Thanks, I did think about Alchemilla mollis and good idea to put it with Vinca for some winter cover.

I think that if you want evergreen cover you will need to pep it up with colour possibly from another plant. What about epimediums - not sulphureum - something like "Fire Dragon" possibly underplanted with summer bulbs. Or acorus, underplanted. Some bergenias can be really lovely and have good winter colour.

Porridge I agree - there is room for more than one planting group.
Evergreen epimediums could work, perhaps a little "dainty" under such a a large/dark shrub but will have a look at what is available.
I know bergenias would work but I really don't like them, they look so rubbery!
Will look up acorus as I don't know it (or the name anyway).

And thank you...

You could put some gaultheria in - there are some very low growing ones and they have flowers and really nice berries in winter. They're evergreen too

Is it next to your Forest Pansy? If so, I think you should be running on some of the underplanting from that under the viburnum, to make them look more connected. Perhaps run on whatever it was that you decided on about half-way under the viburnum and then transition to something else.

Shame you don't like Bergenias - I've just dug up a load from the border where I'm going to have the dahlias and euphorbias, and have used them to fill in the spaces around a viburnum bodnantense

Aha - I thought that about bergenia too until I saw a beautiful white one at Beth Chatto's!

I think Bergenia are too low for this spot, do you know which one you saw Porridge, was it Bressingham White?

And yes its next to the Forest Pansy.
The area in front of the Viburnum is much shadier though, so not sure I can get away with running the planting along, also there is quite a bit of space to fill...

I am thinking of having dark Penstemon around the F Pansy mixed with Alliums but the Penstemon need plenty of sun. Not sure about Heuchera in the end, those I have planted havent done well here.

Could Acanthus mollis/spinosus work? The leaves are more or less evergreen here and fresh limy green, and the purpley flowers could look good next to the F Pansy.

I think acanthus would get too tall. What about Euphorbia amygdaloides var. Robbiae? That has lime green flowers and there is a purple form too - both would look nice next to the forest pansy. Or E. schillingii

I have fragaria vesca, pulmonaria, vinca and aquilegia under my various viburnums. Would any of those work for you?

I quite agree about bergenias - even white flowers can't (for me) compensate for the leathery leaves!

I did think about Euphorbia robbiae but the foliage after they flower is very dark and the purple form even darker.
I did try Pulmonaria and Aquilegia under the Viburnum last year and they looked a bit lost.
I have a Vib burkwoodii elsewhere and it looks fine with small ground cover below it, but this particular Viburnum is quite chuncky.
I will have to mull it over...
Thanks for all the suggestions!

If you want something a bit lighter you could put Spirea Goldflame in. I know it's a bit cheesy but you can cut it back really hard so it won't get too big for the space and it is a pretty colour.

I can't bring myself to plant Bergenia either. I have tried and tried to get over my distaste for them but it doesn't work. Even Beth Chatto or Christopher Lloyd haven't convinced me

I think bergenias are the new dahlias!!!!

LadyB I do have a Spirea which we inherited with the garden, I could put it there and see how it works, they look esp lovely at this time of year and seem happy here in poor conditions.

We had some Bergenias in our front garden when we moved in which we had to dig up to sort out the drive, I have never forgtten how many snails were hiding under the leaves, it was really revolting!

I am firmly sticking to my no Bergenias rule here!!

"bergenias are the new dahlias" - love it! There should be a t-shirt with that on as a slogan.

My garden, of course, has both bergenias and dahlias.

Have to say that Gertrude Jekyll made a lot of use of bergenias to 'round off' corners in her borders, and I have just copied her idea here.

Also the pictures in Beth Chatto's Gravel Garden of different bergenia varieties are stunning - I think a lot of us might have rather elderly / undistinguished varieties?

www.bethchatto.co.uk/plant%20portraits%20b/bergenia%20%27bressingham%20ruby%27%20%28winte r%29.html

G's Mum you are clearly an in-vogue gardener, unlike me!

Just wondering if any of you haved used Francoa? Have seen pics of it in catalogues and have read it can take some shade plus the foliage is evergreen/semi evergreen.
Looks lovely from the pics...
www.cottage-gardens.net/ShowDetails.asp?id=174

Now on a mission to make bergenias trendy! I think GM is right - there are some uninspiring varieties around - but in the right place they can be great - especially for winter colour.

Have used francoa in the past but for me, it's just not good value - foliage is unimpressive and flowering spikes although lovely are very short lived. It lives good soil.

lives likes

Porridge I have seen some nicer types but I just dont like the texture of the leaves, its the rubbery foliage.
I do think they are trendier than they were though, prob thanks to Beth Chatto.
Shame to hear your thoughts on Francoa, it seemed to tick the boxes.

You may love it P! Sometimes gardeners just prefer different plants! Don't let me put you off.

I've been trying to think what would be good evergreen coverage - there are a couple of things that came to mind - cyclamen hederifolium and what about a fern that is OK in dry soil and doesn't mind a bit of sun - polystichum setiferum?

If you like francoa what about galax aphylla?

Glossy evergreen leaves and white flowering spikes?

You have to think 'glossy', not rubbery to like bergenias!

I'm not saying taht I'm madly keen on the ones I've inherited in my garden, but certainly the photos of Beth Chatto's are stunning.

Porridge yes ferns would work, but would like some flower colour ideally.
The galax looks good, pretty flowers.
Thanks!