6 inch high annual wanted

I would like some all year round colour, i have a 2.5 metre long strip, 6 inch wide , runs along side my decking, its gets full sun ( like a furnace on a hot day) dry soil, but i dont want the plants to get any higher than 6 inch high, can any one help, im a complete new gardener.

 

eek.... sorry its 5 metres long, not 2.5,

 

nasturtiums are great in those conditions. Still time to sow seed. just scatter them everywhere and cover. keep them watered until they germinate. Don't get the trailing ones though.

 

I think "Tagetes" would look lovely

 

Ant,

Bear in mind that annuals won't give you all year round colour - they will die off when winter comes.

If you want showy annuals until winter, then the choice is endless - dianthus, snapdragons, marigolds, petunias, pelargoniums.... go to a garden centre and see what you fancy.

If you DO want year-round colour, I'd suggest Lavender. It will grow slightly higher than 6 inches, but you can trim it slightly. Looks great, smells great, you can cut it to use in the house, and would love the conditions you describe.

 

I can't think of anything that does year round colour.
The best you can hope for is evergreen with a show at some time in the year - and that would need to be a perennial, not an annual.

As AndrewH suggested Lavender could be good, although a little higher than you want it can be cut back after flowering to the height you want and over time will make a thick little hedge.

Another suggestion would be Cerastium (snow in summer).
That would meet your height requirements, give you masses of white flowers in June, have lovely silvery foliage through most of the year and although inclined to run a bit riot can be clipped back after flowering to just where you want it to be.
I love it.

 

thank you to all who contributed. i may have a nice garden one day!!

 

Hi Ant
The problem with gardening is you are never satisfied, theres always a plant you want ,or, a part of your garden you want to improve, always a work in progress.

So while you might admire some ones garden ,they will tell you what they want to alter.

 

haha thanks, and with a completely yampy cocker spaniel and a baby on the way everything has do be a friendly plant non toxic plant! fortunately when we moved in i completely stripped out the garden back to absolutely nothing, then with my dad retiring last Jan he has been round givin gme loads of help, they have a fantastic garden as they have lived in the same house for 35 years!