Front garden plans & small plants

Thank you very much for the info @Plantminded! I have the link for the order already bookmarked I will probably place the order later, I just want to show my partner first (though it's rare he objects).

 

I can recommend Knoll Gardens for buying grasses @CostasK, always good quality plants, well packed, speedy delivery and a handwritten thank you note which always impresses me!

 

I think that's where the soil type comes in. Our Calamagrostis are in introduced topsoil over clay (so fairly fertile). They grow and flower well but I'm constantly clearing up fallen flower stems after any strong winds. The plants still look good because they flower so prolifically there are plenty of spikes still left standing. Like most grasses they have an 'elbow' on the flower stem which is where they usually fold over and break off.

 

Slates and plant life aren't a great mix. When we moved house, the new house had a small wood, edged around the outside with slate. All sorts of plant matter falls between the slates, decays and can allow anything to grow in it - even with a weed membrane below it.

As I've been working in our wood, it turns out the slates extend right into the wood, but are buried under a couple of inches of soil, formed from the dead plant matter that came off the trees and shrubs. Elsewhere we have hedges and Yew trees over slate, and pruning is a nightmare, having to spread large plastic sheets out to try and catch as many clippings as possible ( and it's usually windy when we need to do it! ).

If you want to go slate, I suggest a fence, rather than a hedge.

 

Yes, I put a mulch of farmyard manure down a couple of years ago and got lots of broken flower stems that year. I do get some broken ones occasionally if it's also been wet or if there's been snow. Miscanthus and Panicum seem less vulnerable to wind and weather damage here.

 

If you were thinking of grasses have a look at the Hakone range. They have a lovely arching habit and are not too tall. I grow the Aureola variety ( variegated green and yellow). My favourite grass but your site might be too sunny? I grow mine in full sun but I am in Scotland which might make a difference.
Be a bit careful having a tree either side of the path. Two trees so often end up looking like goal posts. Many an hour has been spent lugging newly bought trees around my garden to find the right spot where they do not look as tho they should be in Wembley stadium.

 

I’m a big fan of Hakonechloa too @hailbopp, and the same variety that you like. Mine grow best in shade or part shade but will tolerate sun once established and kept well watered for the first year. I thought their height would not deter cats and dogs though as they can look like tempting resting places . Yours look wonderful .

 

Very useful information about grasses, thanks everyone.

Hakoenchloa looks great but I don't know if the trailing habit might be an issue next to slate.

Coincidentally, the two spots I have are also in my slate chippings area. Slightly different circumstances though, because unlike @collinsc 's area, which is south-facing, mine does get some shade. I would class it as light shade though. The garden is north-west facing but the area is in the middle of it, and avoids the shade from the house & fencing for most of the day. I currently have 2 carex there. They are not happy & I worry that during the summer the edges of the foliage will fry, precisely because of the trailing habit. Plus, it would be good to have more height.

Calamagrostis can take some light shade, so I would rather amend the planting area to make it poorer (!) by adding lots of potting grit, than taking a risk with something that absolutely needs full sun. I am currently going through a rabbit hole, exploring the Knoll Gardens website. I am tempted by some of the other calamagrostis e.g. Avalanche, as the slightly smaller height would suit the area better (+might help a little with wind). Though the spikes of Karl Forrester seem more impressive.

Calamagrostis Avalanche – Knoll Gardens – Ornamental Grasses and Flowering Perennials

I do envy Collinsc, there are so many amazing options for full sun!

 

Just thought I’d mention another option @CostasK. I also grow C. brachytricha. For the first two years it has been in light/medium shade and flowered well. The flowers are more showy than C. Karl Foerster. Because of that I’ve recently moved it to the top of my bank where it can be seen from different angles. It has more of a vase shape when flowering than the columnar form of CKF. CKF also grows well here in light shade where the soil retains more moisture. C. Avalanche looks like a smaller version of CKF with variegation which might add some light to your shady garden. If you have room, perhaps a mixed order might be an idea? Don’t forget they can easily be divided after about three years so you’re investing for the future .

 

Thanks again @Plantminded I was looking at that as well, but it is so helpful when someone has real life experience of the plants!

Ah, I wish I had enough space for a mixed order! But my garden isn't big to begin with, and there isn't that much space left. I might even be pushing it a bit with adding two grasses.

They would go where I have added those 2 yellow highlights in the photo below, and if I added more than one on each side, you have to get to the lawn area only through the patio circle, which wouldn't be very practical.

 

I’d go for Karl Foerster in that location @CostasK, the vertical habit would be ideal .