Advice with planter...

Hi,

Firstly, I am a complete novice. We bought our home last year, we have built an outerbuilding, put new fencing up, had artificial grass laid (not our first choice but practical with a 12 year old that is forever kicking a ball). We have also had a planter built that will have a sail connected to it for shade. We are ready to start introducing plants but really don’t know where to start and would really value advice from those with knowledge.
If we start with the planter can anyone suggest anything that would do well in a south facing garden in the rainy Brecon Beacons, plenty of sunshine in summer but plenty of rain all year. I was hoping to have fast growing climbers and then a mix of evergreens and some other plants. I’ve attached a picture if that helps.

a huge thanks in advance for any suggestions

 

I don't think you can beat a nice rose, maybe a repeat rambler which do tend to grow faster. Maybe a clematis on the other side ( best to ask if your considering clematis they are lots to pick from ). They are plenty of other climbers but roses and clematis are the msot popular with go reason but some other climbers - Wisteria - honeysuckle - campsis - jasmine - abutilon - grapevines possibly suitable.

Don't rule out annual climbers either they grow fast and flower but die in the same year. Ones to try buying or growing from seed - Morning glory - sweet peas - mina lobata - Cobaea plus many more.

Evergreens - Bux comes in all sort of shapes / other topiary plants yew / ilex crenta. Pittosporum are nice - nandina domestica - Choyisa white dazzler or goldfingers.

I wouldn't go wild picking to many different variety's of shrubs or any other plant , it tends to look bitty. for example - 3 ball bux shrubs nothing else or Choyisa gold fingers with Pittosporum tom thumb the colours of the foliage of each plant will highlight the other.

Add some perennials inbetween and some annuals and trailing plants. sort out your climbers first and the shrubs then look into perennials. I few easy perennials - nepeta - geranium ( not the bedding variety ) - penstemons - salvia nemorosa plus many more.

Two questions what have you used to fill the raised bed ? how wide its ?

 

Thanks so much for your detailed response. There’s loads of ideas there. I did look at clematis and got a bit lost in all the varieties ‍♀️.
The bed is approx 1/2 metre height, it’s 5 metres long and the depth is approx 1/2 metres as well. We filled it with the soul we dug from the garden and then compost.
Thanks so much for your help

 

Yes they are three pruning groups of clematis, all are easy to look after if you remember which pruning group they belong to. Group 3 clematis are by far the easiest to look after you just cut them back to about a foot and let it grow again lots of flowers from July onwards. Group 2 are usual large flowering types not overly big plants but for some flowering may/june with a second flush sometimes september ish - group 3 have quite a few monster growers armandii and montana but also smaller ones first to flower April / may.

An easy / good one group 3 which can be found at the supermarket is Jackamii and polish spirit.

This is one of my Group 3 clematis called Super nova on my pergola, I also have a rose - wisteria and another clematis on this pergola. Supernova is using the wisteria as a climbing frame which flowered earlier on in the year.

 

Like your style with the annual climbers, to add to the list, there are some new varieties of thunbergia, a very nice vigerous one is Tangerine slice by proven winners, or Petunia tidal wave, a geeat climbing petunia, can climb to 5 foot, and be smothered in flower all summer, but Mina Lobata, good call.

 

Thank you both for your words of wisdom! Will definitely take a look at all that you’ve mentioned-thank you!