Creative Ideas Needed Please

snugglepet20

Hi I've been reading this forum and you lot seem to really know your plants so maybe you can help me. My front garden is just a little path to the door with a big flower bed across the front of the house about 3.5m by 2m. The builders put in some scraggy shrub things when it was new (2 years ago) and I added some assorted plants I randomly liked at the garden centre and some bark chipping stuff.

Anyway now it is a mess and needs redoing but I need a plan of something that will look good and be low maintenance. Additionally there is a bit of a litter problem as everyone puts their bins out near there and rubbish gets tangled in the bushes so if anyone could suggest non tangly plants that would be a bonus. Budget is £100 tops. Thanks.

WestonDave

It might be worth posting up a photo because we might be able to suggest which existing plants are worth keeping, and what you can add that will compliment it. If you can let us know which ones you like then obviously it will also help tailor the choices.

My instinct for low maintenance would be a mix of things like Hebe's, mini firs, Euonymous etc which have a variety of colour etc through the year, and are also fairly dense to stop things tangling. Also most of them can be purchased as small plants and allowed to grow on, which will be cheaper than buying bigger plants but will leave more gaps initially. One of the big errors people make is filling the space and not leaving room for what they've planted to grow.

snugglepet20

Thanks WestonDave, I am too ashamed to put up a photo and I hate all the surviving plants so just imagine an empty rectangle space. I really want it to look full and impressive from the start because next door never do anything to theirs and the weeds just keep coming over. I am not totally against maintenance I just don't want to have to weed it every day, would putting pebbles or gravel down between the plants suppress the weeds better than the bark chipping?

lunar

I have a path in my garden that sounds similar to it. I plan to put a several rose carpet plants along it this weekend. My parents did this and within 3 years they were really bushy and low maintenence, all they needed to do was keep the edge trimmed and they flower twice a year. This year they were still going in december! They get hundereds of flowers on, I think they are about £6 per plant in B&Q.

Dont be afraid to put up a picture it will help people to advise you properly.

lunar

Just to add. they do grow lots in the first year so would give a good effect quickly.