Project for space used to store junk previously

In the very shady part of my garden there is an area that was just filled full of pebbles when we moved in. Over the years it has ended up as a junk storing area, so I asked OH to build me a planter that I could put shade plants in.

Photos before (forgot to take photos so these are ones that were taken in general):-







Pretty disgusting huh ? :o



This is it today, after 11 bags of compost to fill the planter along with some plants in (OH dumped the patio rose in there after me insisting not too but he wouldnt listen - Will have to remember to take it out later, think it likes sun!):-






Incase your wondering why the planter is so tall, its too keep the dog out of it ! Any smaller and she would use it as a step up to get in the window :hehe:

We are planning to put decking boards down as a walk way and then use the pebbles on the outsides of the decking.

Have spent all day shovelling up pebbles. Filled 11 great big bags full and still plenty more to go :(


Anyway, just thought Id share and I must remember next time to take more photos:lollol:

 

WoW that looks great Sam, and even better when the Decking go's down, I see you have planted Annuals, Another 2 weeks before I can plant mine out :( Keep the pics coming, I love new Projects...

 

Planter looks good. If you like ferns (think those big feathery ones), then a few attractive pots along the sides of the wall filled with them would look good. Hostas are good for interesting foliage and love shade - growing them in pots keeps the slugs away.

As a specimen plant, a Fatsia Japonica in a pot looks great - maybe on the other side, by the fence?

 

Looks good ,you could have Clematis on either side of the window.

 

Well yes I have planted the annuals way before they should be going out, but I have been going out and covering them with fleece each night, just incase! I havent planted any others though, was just excited and got ahead of myself :lollol:

 

Thanks

Yes we have left a gap between the back of the planted and the house as to not let the damp in (although used a very thick liner also) and the planted is raised inside a fair few inches to allow the airbricks to circulate etc. (OH is an electrician but very handy!) :luv:

The half log thing you can see at the back of the planter is the gap between the wall. That was rested on the edge of the planter and wedged in balancing on the wall itself so to give the look of it going right back when you look at it.

 

I was going to put ferns in the planter but the ones at the garden centre grew too tall for the window so decided not too. They probably will end up with some in pots though and I have a few hostas in the garden also which i really like so might do some there too.

Will have a look at the Fatsia Japonica as not thought about that.

Might get OH to build another planter yet .... low and along the fence so put them all in. Or put plants in pots with some decking as edging to hide the pots maybe ? Would have liked to have had a proper border running along the fence but digging down I hit an old brick wall :dh:

 

Hmmm something else to think about ... didnt realise Clematis would grow well in the shade though

 

Question this morning .......

On the left hand side on the ground you will see that I had started to dig all the pebbles up. I have got about 6 inches down so far (heavy work!). By the fence you will see I started to hit an old brick wall.

What I was wondering was, if I carry on digging and still keep hitting gravel, can I sink pots into the ground there, plant up and then cover the edges of the plastic pots with the pebbles again so it looks like the plants are coming out of the pebbles ?

If I planted ferns and the other plants suggested so far, how often would these need to be watered ? as I have noticed that I have only watered the planted once and its still plenty wet enough and that was watered on sunday.

Also - should I carry on digging and actually hit soil ..... would it be ok to plant straight into the ground, add a load of compost and then finish off with pebbles ?

 

Ferns and hostas like damp conditions, so you need to keep the compost damp or at least make sure it doesn't entirely dry out. In summer, a hose is a godsend.

I suppose you could sink the pots - it would be a way to hide unsightly plastic pots and retain moisture in the soil with pebbles over the top.

 

Would sinking the pots be a better option though or carry on digging to try to hit soil ? Although think the soil might end up with a lot of gravel in it cause below all the pebbles seems to be an awful lot of gravel!

Idea behing the pots is that I have 4 good size plastic pots on the shed that are a bit too ugly to put anything in out on display but would be ok do to this with.

Have just ordered a new hose which arrived yesterday - one that auto retracts

Hosta's might do pretty good there too as never seen slugs that end of the garden unlike the ones in the borders !

 

Save yourself the hassle and sink the pots instead. Life is too short to dig that much. But make sure you put them in big pots to save yourself having to repot them so soon.

A bit of decorative gravel on top could look quite effective as well.

 

If you kept them in pots you could go for some of the more tender tropical plants and bring them in for winter.

 

Sadly I dont have anywhere to bring them in too in the winter :(

Been in to town this afternoon but not many plants about today. Will have to have a look at garden centre at the weekend when OH will be off work too.

Apart from ferns - are there any other plants that are shade tolerant and evergreen ??

Im planning on putting either 3 or 4 large pots in, so not sure if I should go for different or all the same .... although I do like hostas so might go for 4 different varieties of them. Just a shame they are not evergreen as thats the view from my kitchen window. Would be nice to see something out there in the winter months