Sad Little Corner

This sad little spot is the patio at our back door. It's mainly been neglected, but now is the time to start thinking about what to do with it. Have just painted the wall at the back and as soon as the weather dries up will paint the boundary fence to match the wall. I have cut down the patchy ivy which was in the LHS blue trough, and at present have left the poor cotoneaster in the RHS one. The patio is east facing, but partly shaded for 4-6 hours in the middle of the day by an elderly apple tree. I could keep the troughs with something else in them, or lift them and the slabs underneath, but the space that would provide is very close to the wall, and may not be the best quality soil.

Any of your lovely gardeners have any suggestions? It has got potential, but I think I've been so used to it looking like this for so long that I can't really think of how to change it.

 

If it was me I think I would take out the slabs nearest the wall, improve the soil a bit, and put in a nice climber. Maybe a rose? Some don't mind a bit of shade - see e.g. http://www.davidaustinroses.co.uk/specific-situations/north-walls-and-shady-areas?

Or something productive, like a vine?

If not I would accumulate some nice pots and assemble an attractive 'potscape' - usually here mine has one or two seasonal flowers in bloom and the rest are green succulents, scented geraniums etc that can be left in year round.

That is a nice bench - could it be rubbed down and stained a more interesting colour, the shed too?

And would you like a garden mirror maybe? They can be fun but work best where they can be angled so that you are not looking into them and seeing yourself reflected all the time!

 

@Clare G
@Irmemac maybe you could also try one or adapt one of these ideas- maybe as its shaded, you could use small Ferns on top of the Pallets

I have a Pallet table -just bought 3 Pallets screwed them together 1 for the top and 2 sides and tarara got a lovely table stained it green all for the grand total of £3 of yer british pounds

 

I have a corner like that that is filled with Fuchsias. Hardy varieties such as " Hawkshead " , " Sharpitor " , " F. Magellanica Aurea " , " Genii " and " Garden News" really brighten up dull, dark corners.

 

@KFF Like you i too have a Fushia corner and i love it, and my Fushias - DUH why didnt i think to suggest that to Irmemac.... its a great suggestion as there are sooo many gawjus Fushias to choose from - now the only problem is WHICH ones to purchase Ooooo whata lovely dilemma ... decisions.... decisions

 

Irmemac, can you plant in garden soil by your wall, etc.? If so I would enrich the soil snd plant a honeysuckle....make sure you select a fragrant variety; not all are. A winter jasmine too to provide evergreen foliage and winter flowers. A clematis like Nellie Moser too; an old but fabulous variety that prefers some shade.
If you can plant in garden soil, maybe minus the odd slab or two, it opens up a lot of exciting possibilities
A white arum lily..... very underrated plant but superb in leaf and flower and lights up any shady area. Japanese anemones, white again, would be good but for sheer class go for anemone Wild Swan. This flowers for MONTHS.
Check out acteas/cimicifugas.....the dark foliage ones like Brunette and James Compton wil thrive there. They have architectural bronze foliage with scented spires of white flowers now.
Shrubs like sarcoccoca, shrubby winter honeysuckle and daphne will give evergreen foliage and wonderful scent over winter and spring. A camellia or two .....unmatchable shrubs for foliage and spring flowers
Heucheras will give fantastic foliage colour all year round; match with some choice ferns.
Hackonechloa, although deciduous, is a quality grass. Mounding and cascading with golden or variegated leaves trembling in the slightest breeze: highly tactile. Another yellow grass with yellow stems and delicate floating yellow flowers is Bowles Golden Grass. To match look for Imperata Red Baron, a grass that turns crimson red from mid summer to autumn.
To contrast with arum lily, hackonechloa or anemone, plant the best astilbe in the world, viz. Shogun. Foliage to compete with purple acers and totally unique. And check out astilbe cappuccino.......purple bronze spring foliage and feathery frothy white late spring flowers. The second best astilbe.
Agree with fuschias......just one or two though. I would go for the hardy Genii for its yellow foliage and a tender summer variety for sheer flower power. A pot planting of begonia Bonfire/boliviensis will give you a plethora of cascading red flowers for months.
For added fragrance lilium Regale, perennial heliotrope, scented daffodils like Cheerfulness and hyacinths will make that a wonderful place to sit in Irmemac. Zaluzianskya too, the night phlox, in a pot will give weeks of powerful scent from dusk to dawn.
An acer like Garnettii in a pot too as a focal point......white flowers, bulbs or perennials as a foreground.
Go to town Irmemac......you can make that spot irresistable

 

Before I read the replies, I was thinking of a climber too. Something evergreen IMO. I like @Verdun 's suggestion of winter jasmine. I know it is pretty common but it is cheerful when flowering. It might also be just the spot of one of the evergreen clematis', once the soil has been improved. Also a good idea to widen the border by removing a slab or two.

 

Its no good couldn't help meself ......yet another lovely for the Fuschia collection
"Fuschia Blacky"....well tell me who could resist!!
@Irmemac Great link for Fuschias here lots of good info Other Fellow Fuchsias - Over 800 Fuchsia Varieties, Buy Online or Order by Post
Also along with Fuschias who are more than happy in Pots, Hanging baskets, and the ground- is IMHO the lovely often overlooked plant Epimedium which is fantastic early nectar for pollinators emerging very early in Spring - So naturally gets double thumbs up from me

Love this sweet intro info on them on this link

Epimedium | Claire Austin
"It’s difficult to say why, but I always feel a touch of joy when I spot an epimedium. These delightful spring flowering plants with delicate flowers and handsome leaves are neither glamorous nor showy. They are demure, discreet, a little shy, and can be slow to establish.

In the wild Epimediums are found in woodlands of China, Japan and eastern parts of Europe. The flowers, which can be white, yellow or reddish pink resemble little school caps. Some are topped with long spurs making them look like four-cornered hats, hence the common name 'Bishop's mitre' or 'Bishop's hat'. The flowers are carried on wiry, thread-like, branched stems that dance above a mound of low, spreading, oval, leathery leaves. Some varieties have evergreen leaves, others have leaves that die back in autumn.

Epimediums grow from slender rhizomes, allowing some varieties to cope with dry, shady areas (even those found near leylandii hedges), while others require a damper spoil in partial shade. Once established, they are incredibly tough and long-lived, requiring little attention. I've had no problem growing them in full sun, but they do need soil that retains some moisture."
Now if that's tickled your fancy @Irmemac-Click on the link for further info and photos of Epimediums worth growing

 

Well, I just got home from a pretty stressful day at work, and you have all cheered me up enormously! Thank you so much .

You have all given me so much food for thought, and AMAZING ideas, that I will have days of looking up references and reading ideas. Everyone has a different, but equally interesting, idea of what to do, and I can now see so many more possibilities for the corner than before.

Thank you for the links, which I will explore (I think a fuchsia somewhere will be compulsory ), but I'm loving the idea of taking out the slabs and planting into the ground. I want a scented climbing rose, winter jasmine, clematis, lots of fuchsias, and a whole host of other suggestions which I will have to look up..... in fact I think I may have to dispense with the patio seating area altogether!

One further question. In the future (because it is so wet up here that we seldom get to sit out on the patio, and often too windy for a gazebo) we had wondered about getting a patio cover like the one in the photo attached. How would plants fare under a roof, but with open side, front and planted in the ground?

 

I think that patio cover would work well, though you would need to water the plants, of course, and it would restrict your choice of climbers. I can see the appeal in a wet climate, good idea.

 

Cover would work....how about a sail? Either way plants will be fine

 

That's ma girl you know it makes sense Nah i know what did it - you couldn't resist Blackys charms hook... line n sinker

Another FuchsiaHolic in the making- Now then did i mention Aquilegias another passion of mine ...Nope dont think i did ......And she's orrrfff ......No i'll give you some time to catch up with all the other links first bless ya, you'll be boggled
@Irmemac So glad the thread cheered you up, there can never be enough giggles in the world ...plus as ya feeling stressed have a cyberhug too from Little 'ol MEeee BEE
BTW the Patio cover looks fab- what a great idea to enjoy the new area whatever the weather ...love it

 

Wellllll .... Blacky is a beauty, but I love the very red and bright purple fuchsias. What can I say, my head is easily turned! Thank you, Bee for your hug! Much appreciated, and your posts have made me smile. I'm very keen for my garden to be as bee friendly as possible, so have had a look through the link below your signature. Nice!

https://gardenerscorner.co.uk/members/verdun.12450/: not sure a sail would work as it's a pretty breezy corner. Love your plant suggestions too - most of my recent purchases have been courtesy of your kind advice, and slug resistant too!

 

How about a water feature? I think mine has brought my ugly shady corner to life

 

@Irmemac OOoo very nice ....Hhumm but, needless to say i dont think you can make a bad choice with Fuchsias

@Irmemac Your most and for your kind comments

@Irmemac Awww thats great news, as im sure your aware our Pollinators need all the support they can get