What is this plant called??

Hello, I am new to the site and in need of a lot of good advice. I have never done gardening before but now that I have moved I need to give a "facelift" to my new front garden, so since I am not green fingered (still pink at the moment!) I am seeking for quite a few answers!

Ok my very first questions are: ta taaaaa


What is this plant?
What is best suited for?
What other plants would it go well with?

 

Where are you?
It looks like sanseveria laurentii.
We grow it as a tender house plant, you must be sub tropical.

 

Subtropial?? LOL

... I wish!

I am in the UK :p

have found this plant on the internet whilst looking for ideas for my front garden.

Is not too big and on one side I would like to lay gravel and some nice (low maintenance) plants. Obvioulsy it will have to handle the three UK seasons, winter and wet spring/summer

Thanks !

Any ideas?

PS: I am also in Kent!

 

Ok, thats got that sorted, you dont stand a chance with the sanseveria.

Spikey plants look good in gravel.
Yuccas, phormiums, cordylines etc.

 

Can I just say (again). Why don't people actually post the area they are in. Not getting at you PinkFinger but loads of people don't understand that there are various temperature zones (called USDA zones) and if you are trying to advise people on plants you need to know which zone they are in. For example, I am on the Yorkshire coast and am zone 8b. But just 5 miles inland, without the moderating effect of the sea, is zone 8a And just 20 miles north of that it is zone 7b. They could never hope to grow plants that (with care) I can. And I can't do what Pete can do in 9a (but I try). Perhaps the Admins can point this out to people as they register. We aren't being nosy It is most important that people don't just say 'Yorkshire' or whatever but give locations if they are to get proper discussion. And to give NO location makes it impossible.

 

That is true John, without a location, advice can be useless.

 

Pete, thanks for the reply and suggestion, I m off to see if they are suitable for my temperature zone....

 

:eek:seems the temperature just warmed up a little!!:D :D

 

please please please don't get the idea that any of us here are expert gardeners, we're just on day release from the local looney bin!:D

keep asking questions, its the only way to learn, ignore John, we all do except when he offers to buy a round:thumb:

when we registered on here, I don't think there was the option to omit your location, although I may be wrong! The forum software changed recently so that probably why you were given the option. The mods are still sorting out all the little things like this to keep the site running smoothly.

I must admit, when I looked at this thread, I saw pete had answered your question and assumed you must live in warmer climes than us. I assumed it was a photo of a plant already in your garden. I felt I couldn't help you further with planting suggestions etc as I have no experience of knowledge of plants for a sub-tropical area. So I left it for someone else to answer.

any way, back to planting suggestions. I agree with the spikey plants option. It might be adviseable to check the pH of your soil, its a cheap kit available from garden centres. there's no point planting acid loving plants in an alkaline soil. Whilst your at the garden centre, have a wonder round, see what plants you like the look of. if the label says hardy, they won't usually get killed by frosts. have a chat to the staff too, the'll be able to advise you on specific plants or point you in the direction of plants they think will be suitable for your needs.

hope that helps, welcome to the forum!!

 

Thank you very much for your feedback! More ideas to follow, this is great!

 

http://www.trebrown.com/hrdzone.html

Dont worry Pink Finger, we all start somewhere, glens advice is good.

 

Spotted your plant in the garden centre today - in the houseplant section!!! (I think pete mentioned this in his first post here) It was much smaller than the one pictured though!

 

Sanseverias are Central America/Mexican and do best in a bright house plant situation, however putting them outside for the summer will be fine. Like a lot of succulents it it the cold and wet together that would probably kill them off.

 

Otherwise known as "M in L's Tongue " isn't it ?

 

I tend to find they like shade