Tropical Border Project

A bit more digging yesterday evening. Took out a bridal wreath spirea, buddleja and a load of dahlias and then planted some of the new

The corduline was already in but was obscured by other plants. It needs a bit of TLC





Also found a phormium tenax to the right of the yucca that was planted and forgot.



Border now taking shape but needs tidying up

 

Looking good andrews
....maybe not "tropical" but you could pick that colour up from eucalyptus gunnii planted nearby...??

 

It does need some paler colours as a contrast. We are intentionally planting the yucca thompsoniana away from the daisylirion wheeleri as they are similar colours but we do need plants to lift the colour.

Eucalyptus is a good suggestion. The tree about two thirds up the border in the last picture is eucalyptus but it doesn't have leaves below 15 feet. However it does give height to the border

 

I was thinking maybe a coppiced eucalyptus for the blue juvenile foliage Andrews but also for a contrast of leaf shape . The juvenile foliage is so very different to the adult of course

You are going to have a spectacular border there for sure

 

Thanks @Verdun we plan to have space around the plants. Partly for the look we want to achieve and partly the lesson learnt from the existing border - we had plants that we couldnt see and appreciate as there were too many plants / plants in the wrong place.

All of the plants that we have dug out have been taken by local gardeners rather than dumped

We do need to add different foliage which will be the next stage - maybe next summer when we see what else grows.

Its amazing how much different the border looks with the changes that we've made.

Once the plants are in, its time to scarify the lawn and rescue whats left of the grass

 

Looks good, think I'd now under plant to some extent with something like aloe aristata, maybe a few low growing Euphorbias, Sedums, Delosperma, Sempervivums, Aloe striatula.
Maybe some nice large chunks of rock????

 

Thanks Pete - some of your suggestions are already in the plan. Aloe striatula will be in the arid bed (another project) tomorrow we are looking for low blue grasses

 

Elymus magellanicus is the bluest of the blue grasses andrews....made quite an impact here over the summer. Similarly, helictotrichon sempervirens made a slightly taller statement in blue. Of course, on a smaller scale, there are the festucas

 

We now have all of the specimen plants in and have removed / moved a lot of the plants in the border. It is by no means finished. There are more plants to move but it is taking shape. Video of the current state, including rubble that still has to be moved.



Edit - youtube has killed the quality of the video but it gives a feel for the planting. Still lots of underplanting to be done

 

Well the med. type planting theme has taken a bit of a beating with the spring bulbs coming up. Mainly daffs with some tulips.

Part of me wanted to take them out but the other part of me says leave them in. It doesn't need to be med. all year round and the bulbs are great to see after a winter without colour.

Lots of sempervivums and sedums currently being grown on ready for planting, along with 3 trays of blue grass that I sowed last autumn. This wont be enough so I have 4 trays of semps on order from a local nursery at a discounted price.

Time to get stuck into border renovation year 2