flowers and colour needed

Mrs B · Post by **Mrs B** » 07 Oct 2012, 15:59

After not doing much this year due to the weather I am planning out the next section to be planted up in the big garden.

The plants will be going on a slope about 8 feet above a busy road. I would prefer evergreens with some colour, also it must be tough s once it is planted then it has to take care of itself.

I have tried hebes in another section of the area and half did well and the other half died, I think it was the more colourful ones that died.

I did comment to Beerless that I am surprised that there have never been any flowers in the garden since we have owned it, in such a neglected area I would have expected something to have set seeds and grown wild. The only daffodils are ones that I planted and daffs grow everywhere.

Any tips people? I can't add compost to the beds but the soil is good.

Could the problems be caused by the amount of trees we have as it is a mini woodland and a big yew tree?

Post by **Annie** » 07 Oct 2012, 17:36

Hi Mrs B,
cant answer your questions as to why but have you tried growing Skimmia - evergreen with red winter flowers ( shaped a bit like buddleia flowers), they seem fairly hardy . Pieris is good too with creamy white tiny flowers that die down to a pinkish colour (just looking at mine at the moment) and in the spring a blaze of red when the new shooting leaves appear.Berberis is grown because of its bronze/purple leaves, it has vile sharp needles and insignificant flowers but a few planted together would make a great barrier. Dogwoods I dont think are evergreen but you have winter colour with the red branches/stems. Is it all year round colour you want ?

Maggie1 · Post by **Maggie1** » 07 Oct 2012, 17:52

Try googling image of Euonymus, Mahonia and Escallonia. They are hardy, evergreen and colourful. 1st one doesn't flower but has lovely variegated leaves. 2nd one looks like a holly but has lovely fragrant yellow flowers in spring. 3rd has pink or red flowers but after flowering you still have the foliage.

Mrs B · Post by **Mrs B** » 07 Oct 2012, 19:16

Thank you for the replies girls, I have all those plants at various places in the garden so will try them in the flowerbed of doom. The exception being that prickly holly looking plant as I have one of those I am trying to get rid of and the blooming thing just comes back all the time.

I tried red robin plant and even that died {cry}

which I have growing elsewhere and it thrives. Even some of the prickly bushes have died although holly and yew do well.

I have to admit it has me flummoxed, I wonder if it could be down to squirrel, badger and other critters killing off the plants. the pigging badger tried to dig up all the pansies by the summerhouse so now I have barricaded the raised beds against him.

Maggie I shall try that third plant as it sounds perfect and Annie I am very fond of skimmia and in fact moved one from a pot to that area so will try another one.

There are lots of trees and holly so if not careful with the planting it just ends up a sea of green but then if I go for colourful plants they die off in winter so end up with a blek looking flowerbed... I may just plant up some fake plants :oops:

Post by **Annie** » 07 Oct 2012, 20:41

I have escallonia too its pretty but the flowers are tiny though profuse. I think some ceanothus are evergreen but I dont have much luck with them so would hesitate to plant in a difficult patch.

Maggie1 · Post by **Maggie1** » 07 Oct 2012, 20:52

I'm wondering what's in that particular patch of soil as you say nothing will grow in it. If you say its on a bank above a busy road, I wonder if some nasty chemical has been put on it to make it plant free.