What can we do with this small space?

Flugelhorn

Farway said:

[Deleted User] said:

Slinky said:

Thanks for the suggestions. Don't want to go down the pots route, the water butts are round the back of the house and I just know that pots here will get overlooked.

That area will also require watering because it's a dry micro-climate of its own -  maybe just go the stone/slate route then.

If going that way, maybe look into Alpine style?

Like stonecrops / sedum / ice plants? The sort used for living roofs, low growing, hardy & resilient, plus flowers loved by insects

I agree re these - there are some lovely ones, all the stonecrop cuttings we planted last year have thrived despite weather extremes, Ice plant got a bit fried but is recovering well, ecchevaria are lovely but need some protection, usually produce extra baby plants and these can be used to replace the dead ones. will all survive without much water 

Slinky

Just looked back at this thread and thought you might like to see what I did with the space.  I've got to find something for the pot at the back, we can't plant into the ground there as there's pipework just under the surface. I did put a nandina in the pot but it wasn't happy so I've had to move it. Might try some alpines instead. It's quite a dry area with the overhang from the guttering.  I really like the heuchera, and just behind the light green one, are penstemon Heavenly Blue which are my favourites, hopefully flowering soon.  The salvaged rose seems quite at home in its new position.  There were minature daffs along the front in the spring.

Savvy_Sue

That all looks great, but isn't that a downpipe in the picture? Extra water butt, you can get slimline ones now, grow something up and around it and you can add pots! 

pembroke_2

It would be wise to do a second higher level of damp proofing against the brickwork Tidy up around the drain pipe with a square brickwork

to facilitate a cover that fits. Fill up the area level to the existing slope, with soil or compost and teach the children to cultivate a little garden.

Develop from there!

Slinky

Savvy_Sue said:

That all looks great, but isn't that a downpipe in the picture? Extra water butt, you can get slimline ones now, grow something up and around it and you can add pots! 

Thanks but it's only draining about 4 square meters of the porch roof so not going to get that much water, plus I don't want a butt spoiling the look.

Slinky

pembroke_2 said:

It would be wise to do a second higher level of damp proofing against the brickwork Tidy up around the drain pipe with a square brickwork

to facilitate a cover that fits. Fill up the area level to the existing slope, with soil or compost and teach the children to cultivate a little garden.

Develop from there!

Not quite sure I understand you. The downpipe is connected directly to the drains so is sealed, and the waste pipe from the kitchen sink goes through a covered grid.

No children (thank the lord).

FreeBear

Slinky said:

pembroke_2 said:

It would be wise to do a second higher level of damp proofing against the brickwork Tidy up around the drain pipe with a square brickwork

to facilitate a cover that fits. Fill up the area level to the existing slope, with soil or compost and teach the children to cultivate a little garden.

Develop from there!

The downpipe is connected directly to the drains so is sealed

Having a downpipe terminating like that is all well and good until you get a blockage (from say leaves or an errant bird). I've got these fitted to the bottom of all downpipes -> https://www.floplast.co.uk/product/leafdebris-interceptor-gully - Traps all the debris before it causes a problem.

-taff

@slinky, they do make some weird and wonderful butts now, I quite like the large amphora type ones..

Slinky

-taff said:

@slinky, they do make some weird and wonderful butts now, I quite like the large amphora type ones..

Yes I know, we have one of these round the back. I just don't want one there, plus it would involve trying to fill the can whilst not treading on the planting.

Staggis_bliss

Although the white pipe looks like kitchen sink drainage, it could still provide irrigation for any plants you put into the ground. I’ve not tried it, but a water butt diverter might work, feeding into a small water butt. And then leaky irrigation tubes towards any plants. I presume any rubbish would bypass the diverter. I don’t think detergent suds are a problem - I use detergent suds for killing aphids and the plants are fine. Don’t flush unwanted chemicals down the kitchen sink.
Doesn’t help when you are away from home unfortunately. You’d need a larger butt for that.