Plants For a Purpose - Part 2 of 2
Each and every garden consists of a mixture of different microenvironments. No two gardens offer exactly the same conditions, and this is one of the reasons why gardening is such an individual and exciting hobby. In the following section we suggest plants that will thrive in particular locations and some which will play particular roles in the ongoing drama being played out in your garden.
The soil is the starting point for successful gardening. For good reason do we use phrases such as the secret lies in the soil. Your soil type is fundamental in dictating what varieties of plants can be grown in the garden. Our advice to any gardener is to get a soil analysis performed on your garden at an early stage in your garden planning. Your local garden centre will advise you how to get a soil analysis ordered. Another useful guide to the plants that will do best in your garden is to simply look around at neighbours’ gardens and note what plants are growing well.
Dry Sunny Sites (Mediterranean gardens)
Dry sunny sites have often been thought of as difficult planting environments. However, these conditions can be used very effectively to create more continental-style gardens. Our list offers the widest range of planting options to please even the choosiest gardener.
SHRUBS
Abelia varieties. Artemisia
Berberis. Evergreen Varieties.
Buddleja varieties Caryopteris x clandonensis and forms.
Ceanothus varieties Ceratostigma willmottianum.
Cistus varieties E. Clerodendrum trichotomum.
Colutea arborescens. Convolvulus cneorum E.
Corokia cotoneaster E. Coronailla valentina glauca E.
Cortaderia varieties. Cotoneaster
Crocosmia in variety. Cytisus varieties.
Eryngium Escallonia varieties S.
PERENNIALS and GRASSES
Acanthus spinosus Achillea
Agapanthus in variety. Artemisia ludoviciana
Bergenia E. Centaurea dealbata
CrambeE cordifolia Crocosmia
Kniphofia Liatris spicata
Nepeta x faassenii E. Nerine bowdenii
Oenothera Papaver orientale.
Penstemon Phalaris arundinacea
Phlox Potentilla
Dry Shady Sites
One of the benefits of a dry shady site is that many plants suited to these conditions can create a cool, refreshing look. Try experimenting with a mixture of shrubs, ferns and herbaceous plants, and plants with dark, reddish foliage to emphasize the depth of the shade.
TREES
Acer campestre Aesculus in variety
Gleditsia triacanthos Alnus in variety
Populus in variety Betula in variety
Quercus cerris Pseudoplatanus
Caragana arborescens Crataegus prunifolia
Sprbus aucuparia
SHRUBS and PERENNIALS
Aucuba varieties E. Berberis
Geranium macrorrhizum in variety. Hedera colchica E
Hibernica E. Iris foetidissima
Lamium in variety. Mahonia E.
Osmanthus x burkwoodii E. Pachysandra terminalis
Ribes. Rubus x calycinoides
Ruscus aculeatus E. Salvia in variety.
Tellima in variety. Viburnum davidii.
Waldsteinia ternata E.
Moist Shady Sites
This is fern heaven. Think of a damp British wood and the type of plants that you might expect to find in these conditions. Ferns, Viburnums, Willows, Hosta and Witchhazel will all thrive in moist shade. All the plants in our list will give an excellent show in this, very hospitable, garden environment.
TREES
Acer cappadocicum A. Saccharinum forms
Fraxinus in variety Salix pseudoplatanus
Alnus Prunus padus forms
Betula nigra Quercus in variety pendula
SHRUBS and PERENNIALS
Astilbe in variety. Camellia varieties E.
Danae racemosa E. Elaeagnus commutata.
Fatsia japonica E. Gaultheria procumbens E.
Hamamelis varieties Lythrum in variety.
Monarda in variety. Osmanthus E
Pachysandra terminalis E. Rhododendron
Sarcococca humilis E Viburnum davidii E.
52 Cold Exposed Inland Sites
In this group will be found the hardiest of all garden plants. These are able to stand very low temperatures and the cruellest of winds. Our list includes Conifers, Trees, Shrubs and Evergreens, but it is Conifers in particular that can give excellent performance and the brightest of colours in these conditions. This list is generated based on our experience in East Anglia. Further inland and North, conditions will be worse and local advice is recommended.
TREES
Betula varieties. Carpinus betulus.
Fagus sylvatica. Gleditsia triacanthos.
Laburnum varieties. Populus varieties
Quercus varieties. Salix.
Tilia cordata.
SHRUBS
Aucuba. Berberis.
Chaenomeles varieties. Deutzia varieties.
Elaegnus varieties. Forsythia.
Hippophae. Ilex varieties E.
Kerria varieties. Pachysandra terminalis E.
Rhododendron ponticum E. Symphoricarpos in variety.
Tamarix in variety. Ulex E.
CONIFERS
x Cupressocyparis leylandii E Ginko biloba.
Juniperus communis Larix decidua.
Kaempferi Picaea abies E.
Omorika E. Pinus mugo E.
Thuya plicata
Seaside Plants
Gardening by the sea is a challenge and an adventure. A challenge because of the problems posed by salt-carrying gales and blown sand, and an adventure because even on the East Coast the proximity of the sea reduces the risk of damage by spring frosts making it possible to grow some plants too tender for inland areas. There are two secrets to successful seaside gardening: copious amounts of compost and mulch to conserve soil moisture, and defensive planting to protect the more tender plants from strong winds.
TREES
Acer pseudoplatanus Populus ‘Italica’
Salix Crataegus
Quercus ilex E Sorbus aria forms
Populus alba
CONIFERS
Cupressus macrocarpa form Pinus nigra austriaca
Maritime Pinus radiata
SHRUBS
Arundinaria Senecio E
Hebe brachysiphon E Pyracantha E
Rosa pimpinellifolia Senecio E
Berberis some E Symphoricarpos
Salicifolia E Tamarix
Rugosa Ulex E
Elaeagnus Euonymus ovatus E
Speciosa forms E Sambucus
Commutata Hippophae
Ebbingei E Olearia haastii E
Escallonia S or E Pyracantha E
Climbers for North and East Walls
It’s little wonder that the North faces of mountains have such a fearsome reputation. Exposed to cold winds, rarely feeling the warmth of the sun and being the favourite direction of the worst winter weather, North and East facing walls are the garden equivalent of the North face of the Eiger. But despair not, for as usual, the plant Kingdom has a range of plants that positively thrive in these conditions. Our list below contains plants that provide fabulous flowers, bountiful berries, lush leaves and stunning stems. As for the cold winds? - they help these plants provide some of the more outstanding autumn colour displays.
Camellia in variety. Lacteus E.
Escallonia varieties S. Fallopia.
Garrya elliptica E. Hedera canariensis
Colchica E. Hibernica E
Jasminum nudiflorum Kerria japonica
Lonicera japonica Parthenocissus.
Vitis.
Climbers for South and West Walls
Never, ever waste a West or South wall. Ever. Here is the climatic equivalent of the Palm House at Kew. This is where you must plant your most tender, your choicest and your most favoured plants. This is the location for the Fig and all those other plants which wise old heads advise you that you can’t possibly grow around here! Very rarely will a plant against a South-facing wall be frosted. The wall effectively acts as a night storage heater - soaking up warmth during the day and releasing it slowly over night. Water logging is never a danger, drought being a more common hazard. Be bold, and try some of our more exotic suggestions below.
Abeliophyllum Akebia quinata.
Aloysia triphylla. Campsis forms.
Cytisus battandieri. Eccremocarpus scaber.
Escallonia varieties E or S. Fuchsia in variety.
Hebe. Hydrangea petiolaris.
Itea ilicifolia E. Jasminum officinale
Leptospermum Scoparium Lippia citriodora.
Magnolia grandiflora Passiflora caerulea.
Solanum crispum Jasminoides
Trachelopermum jasminoides E. Vitis.
Wisteria.