Small border shrub suggestions 30 September 2012 at 5:07PM edited 30 November -1 at 1:00AM in Greenfingered MoneySaving 7 replies 660 views

mintedby30?

Hi clever MSE gardeners,

I have removed 2 tiny caterpillar/slug munched shrubs from our front border and an looking for one to replace these. I would love to hear suggestions of anything you think may work and the more of the following "boxes" it could "tick" the better.

*Not going to grow tall or spread out- ideally staying the same height/ width- maybe a foot high and a foot in diameter?

*flowering mid/ late summer/ early autumn- the only colour in the garden from late August is a peach Rose bush and a blue hydrangea.

*maybe flowering in pink/ lilac/ purple?

*attractive to butterflies/ bees and ideally off-putting for pests (and cats if possible but not dangerous for cats)

*safe to have in a garden with children & pets- nothing poisonous.

We are in Scotland so fairly hardy, absolutely no idea of what the soil is like etc, things that currently grow well in the garden- the hydrangea/ roses/ peony roses/ a pieris/ the usual spring bulbs- daffodils/ tulips/ crocus' etc.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

floss2

How about a hebe? Or have a look on here: RHS

Leif

floss2 wrote: »

How about a hebe? Or have a look on here: RHS

You beat me to it. I have one that grows to 12" high and wide. Also look at Parahebe. As said above, the RHS site is useful, but you might also do well to take a gander round a good local garden centre, the RHS site is not complete.

Davesnave

12" x 12" ? That's a small shrub all right! :rotfl:

Oh, and it has to flower.....:eek:....Now...:( !

I see Parahebe is taken, so I will go for Ceratostigma willmotanum.

Maybe it's larger than a foot square, but it's prunable and it's nearly purple.....

Err OK, it's blue!

Leif

A few more come to mind, though I'm not sure they will survive Scotland, and they are maybe not what you had in mind. Lavender is nice, the Hidcote variety is compact and attractive, and mine is still flowering. Bees and other insects love it. A rosemary from the prostratus group might be a bit bigger than you want, but again insects love it, and I love the oily scent. Cotoneaster comes in low growing forms, but they sprawl, so they need pruning, but that is easy to do. Also it produces red berries for winter birds.

mintedby30?

Thanks guys, I'll have a wander round a garden centre this week armed with the suggestions.

Davesnave- The list wasn't intended to be rigid/ exhaustive but I'm glad it presented a good challenge!

A._Badger

A late vote for hebes.

I've never bothered with them until a couple of years ago and now I have I am kicking myself for not having discovered their charms before. I have one particular bed that is very difficult indeed (rubbish soil, shallow and over a drain, sucked dry by a large holly tree )-I planted two hebes a couple of years ago are (only two?! Eat your heart out, Miss Jekyll!) and they have shrugged off everything - 2012's slug and snail armies, included.

blossomhill_2

Yup, a hebe sprang to mind as soon as I read OP!