New front garden

We've recently had a new driveway put in ('sorry' to all the 30 year old roses that bit the dust to make way) and now we're left with pretty much a blank canvas to do with what we want.

How exciting! We left the peony roses and the hydrangea but nothing else. I've been busy scouring all the garden centres around to get some unusual plants with lots of different colours to try to make a nice vibrant front garden. So far I've an azaelea (red) and Hebe hearbreaker, celosia, a few alpines for ground cover (save on weeding!!) and a plant that I bought today called millet purple majesty (picture attached hopefully)

I've looked in all my gardening books and can no information on how to grow, where is best etc. Does anyone have any information on the millet? I plan to get some evergreen small/med shrubs too. I ordered 2 tonnes of topsoil which should arrive next week as the soil is poor and the tree on the right has roots pretty close to the surface which annoys me. I've got a lot of planting ahead!

 

This is the most comprehensive description of it that I've found. Note, though, that it is an annual! M-in-law bought one for our wildlife area, where we hope it will not only encourage the birds, but also self-seed. It's rather striking, isn't it? just realised I'd didn't paste in the link, sorry! Here goes.... http://www.parkseed.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=10101&catalogId=10101&langId=-1&mainPage=prod2working&ItemId=1404&scChannel=Top%20Ten%20Annuals

[ 14. July 2006, 10:27 PM: Message edited by: dendrobium ]

 

Disappointed to hear that it is an annual. It'll look good until the other plants I plant take hold and beging to grow. Maybe it'll be better suited to a pot on the tarmac. Thank you!

 

I bought some from our garden centre this year - labelled as 'decorative millet' - very striking - I intend to get some seeds and grow loads next year. The flowering head is about 6-8 inches tall and still the deep purple colour.

 

This is the first year I have grown millet in quantity (225) for planters and flower beds and will be interesting to see if they set seed here. Just remember the seed may not be true to type but that might give you some variation in height and colour.

 

it's a really striking looking plant - when we got some, most people in the queue at the till had one! Aren't we all in fashion!! :rolleyes: