3 years in.. looking for recommendations

Hi everyone,

I've migrated from the GW forum where I found the knowledge and help from the members extremely valuable. Hopefully I can find similar here.

During Covid I started to plan and landscape our garden. I had lots of time and not much money and being a novice I started to read up and come up with some designs. I sketched out some visions of what we might like (see below) then did some more detailed designs using a bit of software called sketchup. We moved into a new build and so had a blank canvas, which was quite daunting to be honest. For a new build our plot is a decent size, south facing and is wider than it is long. The grass sloped from back to front and there was about 500mm difference in height between the two. I spent a fair while thinking about the design and thought about what we wanted. We like gardens that are interesting and dynamic, ones where you think wow, what's around the corner etc. I came up with a two level design which had a raised patio area accessed by a set of steps in the back corner of the garden, which will get the afternoon and evening sun. There's also a large-ish central border adjacent to a grass area. The lower level has a clay paver path leading the existing patio and house which bounds a central square border. There will also be a cedar corner bench on the other side of the path allowing us to get a different perspective of the garden. We plan to use small grade gravel as the surface on the bottom level with Indian sandstone paving slabs embedded at different locations.

Since the initial design phase I have been doing bits here and there and the garden has slowly been taking shape, well in terms of the hard landscaping anyway. I figured if I get the foundations right then the planting will be easier. My problem is that although in my head I can see how it might look on a macro scale the planting side scares me as I just don't have the knowledge.

I am getting close to finishing the top portion of the garden which now has a patio and cedar screen thingy! (see photo) We're planning to have a vertical garden on the smallest portion of the cedar screen and to grow a climbing rose over the overhanging parts too. I have lots of individual questions which I'll probably post seperatley in the forum at some point but I'm generally looking for planting recommendations around the patio area. In addition to a climbing rose we'd like a planting scheme that's up to a meter high to surround the patio. It'll be very sunny there from about 11 am onwards. I'm also keen to get some structure there too which will last into the winter. Any suggestions/recommendations?

I have also included some examples of gardens we like to give you an idea of our taste etc.

Many thanks,

Ed

 

Hello, welcome to GC . Could you tell us whereabouts in UK you are and what the soil is like? Both have a bearing on which plants will thrive. Meanwhile, your seating area borders are crying out for Lavenders, prostrate Rosemary, one of the lower-growing Cistus, Ballota and/or Dictamnus. They all prefer well-drained soil and sun so it would be worth incorporating some soil-improver and fine grit if the soil is on the heavy side.

 

Your rough location and general climate will certainly help @machtucker . My conditions are totally different from someone living in London, for example. The soil type also affects choices, as well as it's condition

You're still a bit away from getting plants in. Doing any amount of hard landscaping affects the soil because it naturally gets compacted. Once you have the main patio area finished, create some planting space around the patio, and spend some time and money getting the soil in good condition - ie adding lots of organic matter. That will pay off when you get some plants, as they'll have a much better chance of thriving.
What you plant depends on what you like. It's sometimes easier to make a list of what you wouldn't want, rather than what you would want. I would hate the suggested lavender

We all make mistakes too, so be prepared to plant something and then decide it isn't suitable and have to take it out, or to move something because it's grown too big, or not big enough for the site. Again, that's where your growing conditions come into it.

 

Hi! Thanks for your response. Yes that information would help wouldn't it! I live in Fleet, Hampshire and the soil in our garden is clay. I have tried to improve the soil by using well rotted manure and I will also be getting in some top soil to back fill the area around the patio once I have rendered the wall.

I like your suggestions and I will check out some of those plants. We do have a small area of lavender in another border at the side of the grass so it will tie it in nicely. Definitely something for me to have a look at today, thanks.

Ed

 

Yes, I'm not sure what acidity our soil is here, I might order a test kit today. Yes I have LOTS! of work still to do but I like to plan ahead, hence me thinking about things now. The next thing is to render the wall and complete the step area of the patio then I can start to back fill and prep the soil around the patio like you said. I have a Sango Kaku Acer that we planted 3/4 years ago which we really love and is developing nicely. Not the best position for it but it seems to be doing OK.

I like a bit of Lavender here and there...

 

I take it your beds around the seating area/patio will be raised? I'm going by the plan in your last pic.
That can be easier in many ways as you can adapt the soil accordingly. It also means you can get some height more easily which might be useful if you need a bit of shade, and depending on when you use it.
Clay is a superb growing medium, but the time spent getting it well amended always pays dividends. If the Acer is doing well, it suggests your soil isn't alkaline, but many plants aren't too fussy in that respect - it's more about getting the drainage right, and you can always do some annuals while you're getting any structural plants in place, and then climbers/perennials etc

 

looks great... big pots are so useful as you can move around as you build ...

the only thing I would mention is the barbeque right next to the fence ,, next door to me have done the same but its close to my patio and french doors and the roses and shrub that grows on my fence so the smells and smoke can get right up my hooter and even worse when the heat burs the foliage on the roses

 

Hi!

I guess they are slightly. I will basically be topping up to about 5cm below patio level. The soil underneath is what was there before. I have just bought a ph detector so I will see what the soil is like. The whole area around where I live has lots of Rhododendrons some I'm guessing more on the acidic side.

 

Ahh jeez, that I can see that might be a problem. I will look into that a bit more.

 

I would top the beds up right to the top - the level will drop over time.
It's important to plant anything at a high enough level too, because if they're too low, you won't be able to add more soil/compost withut covering the crowns of plants. That can cause problems.

 

Great Idea, thanks

 

My soil type detection device should arrive today so I will test and report back. Towards the back of the garden, near the back fence the soil is not that well draining. When I was digging I found lots of clay sub soil and lots of stones which I guess the builders left behind. It's not quite so bad at the back of the patio and I have dug some manure into it too. Maybe that will affect the choice of plants

 

It's always about prep if you want plants to thrive. Doing any planting too quickly is usually counter productive, and when there's been any kind of landscaping or building work, the ground will not be ideal

 

I’m a long way from planting but need to plan as I still need to thrash out the design for the landscaping on the lower level. It seems to be a bit like chicken and egg….

 

I’d like some under planting like this underneath the cedar bench. Any ideas what this plant might be?