Border revamp - what to plant

MORPH3US

Hi guys,

Our back garden is a mess and I need ideas please.

The borders are currently overgrown and just a big miss-match of plants here there and everywhere. The problem is I don't have much of an idea what I am doing...

I need:
- cheap plants
- easy to look after plants
- hardy plants so I can leave them out untouched all winter
- plants that give good coverage (bare soil = toilet to neighbourhood cats)
- plants that look nice
- plants that don't grow too fast and will take over the garden or need pruning every week

Has anyone got any ideas on planting schemes / particular plants that I could go for?

I should add that my house is relatively new (14 years old) and so is small ish and a prefect rectangle with borders on each side, decking at far end, lawn on the middle and patio nearest house.

Alternatively anyone want to pop down and just do an Alan Titchmarsh on my garden for no money at all :rotfl:

jacgab

If you wanted a colour co-ordinated look I would go for Verbena Bonariensis at the back with Shasta Daisy, Scabious, Lavender, Aqilegia, hardy Geraniums (cut back when flowered and it may come again), Astilbe, Sedum (Ice plants) and then right at the front just sprinkle some Candytuft each year. All these plants (exept Candytuft) are perennials and take minimum care, although you should divide when get leggy or die in the middle and cut back once a year when flowered (including the lavender by a third). You should end up with a purple, white, purple through to pinks theme. All are easy to obtain, are cheapish and some will re-seed, others can be divided easily. All are loved by insects so are beneficial too. Plant a mixture of bulbs in between then in the spring these will come through.

Sit back and enjoy.

westiea

Umm

Take a look outside your local Sainsburys/Tesco etc - all low maintenance.

Shrubs-Viburnum tinus, Forsythia, Spirea, Euonymus, Hebe, Berberis, Philadelphus, Cornus, Sarcoccoca

grasses - Fescue,Ophiopogon, Stipas etc

Most perennials require work - dead heading, staking, split/dividing. Bulbs require very little work other than removing dead leaves so look at autumn/winter/summer types.

amcluesent

>I need ideas please.<

If you go to crocus.co.uk, they have a 'right plant, right place' service were you can choose plants by characteristic and it'll make suggestions. You can play about to your hearts content to see what plants come up for aspect, soil, height etc.

Once you have a few plants then you can cheaply get more by division, collection seeds and taking cuttings.