Please help me plant up a south-facing border!

As we near the end of a four-year garden overhaul, I've just this week opened up a new border. It's 6x1m and south-facing. I've attached a picture - what's already in it is an amelanchier (left) and crab apple (right). Other than that, I've a completely blank slate!

My only thoughts at the moment are that:

1. Closest to the house (left), I'm going to plant a euonymus and have a honeysuckle climb the fence behind it.

2. Beneath the crab apple and the base of the wall (right), where there is a bit of shade, I am going to plant some hellebores and cyclamen for early season colour.

Beyond that, I'd really appreciate recommendations of plants that people would put into this space please!

 

It would help with recommendations if you could give an idea of your approximate location and soil type @Astraeus. Also, do you have any particular likes or dislikes or colour preferences? Both your trees are going to need a bit of space around the base while they get established. Do you know the varieties of the trees to enable height and spread to be accounted for?

 

Thanks @Plantminded. Of course.

I'm in Yorkshire on naturally clay soil, although this particular bed has been built up with 1m/3ft of topsoil on top of clay. The trees are malus Evereste and amelanchier Robin Hill so both will achieve a similar spread of 5m/15ft - eventually!

As for likes and dislikes, I'm afraid it's a "I know it when I see it", which is why I'd be grateful for as many recommendations as people have across various planting styles. I'm also colour blind so don't tend to have much of an opinion there, although that in itself does tend to make me opt for contrasts over complimentary colours.

 

That’s helpful @Astraeus. As long as your soil is relatively free draining, there are lots of possibilities. I prefer perennials and grasses which require little attention once established, apart from annual pruning of grasses and division of perennials and grasses when necessary. In my sunny borders I grow Nepeta, Salvias, Heleniums, Rudbeckias and Geums as the main perennials, and several varieties of Miscanthus, Panicum and Stipa as grasses. I also usually plant in multiples of odd numbers rather than many different plants of different colours, but that’s personal choice. Seasonal bulbs and tubers like Daffodils, Tulips and Dahlias will also give you additional colour. You can leave the faded stems and seed heads of the perennials and grasses in the border for winter interest.

 

Thank you.

I do have another bed planted up with calamagrostis, molinia, rudbeckia, helenium and achillea - my modest attempt at a prairie border. It might be a nice idea to mirror some of those flowers in this bed, perhaps some helenium and rudbeckia. That border also currently has a hylotelephium in it which I'll relocate to the 'new' border - hopefully it'll thrive with a bit more space.

 

It sounds like we like similar plants! I often base my choices on the range of perennials and grasses offered by Knoll Gardens. Have a look at their website, the photos in the gallery are worth looking at.

 

Will the trees turn a sunny border into a shady border in the future?

I have some of the same perennials as you and @Plantminded. I also have Alstromeria Indian Summer, hardy geraniums, Veronica Royal Candles, hemerocallis and liatris. I have other perennials too in different beds, cottage garden plants such as delphiniums, asters, other hardy geraniums etc.

 

I suppose they probably will to an extent eventually. But the amelanchier in particular has a very upright habit and, after 3 years, hasn't come close to having a span of even 1m.

Thanks for a few more plants for me to consider.

@Plantminded, that Knoll Gardens website is a compendium of the sort of plants I like - great recommendation thank you!