choosing plants for a North Facing Shady Patio / courtyard

Anemone Honorine Jobert 

Available from Claire Austin Hardy Plants

https://www.claireaustin-hardyplants.co.uk/products/anemone-x-hybrida-honorine-jobert

Hi.


We currently have a paved area surrounded on two sides by walls and on one side by a glass conservatory. It gets some sun in the summer but in the winter its in deep shade.  The paved area is dark and prone to algae and moss. Currently it is a gloomy place apart from in summer when it provides much appreciated shade.

I wanted to make it a more positive space and give it a cottagey feel like the rest of the garden. So I've been doing my homework!

I'm planning to take up some of the paving and replace it with gravel which will look lighter and also allow plants to self seed which I like. I won't be putting a membrane under the gravel. I may live to regret this!

I'll also put in plenty of pots which will I'll allow to spread seed.

I am also going to expand an existing border and make space to plant a climbing rose.

I've noticed that light yellow looks spectacular in this area so my plant list, which has taken me loads of time to do- includes whites, creams and yellows.

Anemone Honorine Jobert
Lemon Zest Marigold
Lysimachia Numulari
Hellebore Niger
Rose Alberic Barbier or Lady of the lake (the latter has some pink but I just love it)
Columbine Nivea or Chrysantha
Narcissus Minnow
Welsh Poppy
Anenome Lipsiensis
Japanese Shield Fern.

As I've just spent loads on making a wildflower lawn this remains a wish list for the moment. Probably not for long though knowing my addiction to buying plants!

Can't wait

Love caroline




To learn more about me and Caroline's Cottage Gardens please visit my website. https://sites.google.com/site/carolinescottagegardens/

So excited about my new short wildflower lawn

Hi
This is a bit of an experiment. I've a large area of gravel surrounded by flower borders in my garden.

As a child we had a lovely lawn full of clover, daisies and buttercups and I wanted to recreate it. .

I phoned the people on wildseed.co.uk for advice. They were very helpful and they recommended mixture EL1 for my clay soil. This can be regularly mown but is still full of flowers which is good as I want it to be a bit tidier than a wildflower meadow so I can still enjoy my existing borders. So I ordered it this morning. Here are the flowers and grasses it contains. Its got Red Clover and Buttercups just as I wanted and lots more besides. I'm planning on leaving the middle of the area a bit longer and mowing a winding patch through it a bit shorter for effect.

I had asked if their mix included daisies but was told that its too difficult to collect Daisy Seed but if I steal a plant from somewhere and plant it in the lawn that it will rapidly self seed.

https://wildseed.co.uk/mixtures/view/56


I then got quotes for the topsoil I need but they were coming in at around £700! I really needed poor quality soil as this is what wildflowers need but that was even more expensive at around £850. This is too much for frugal nature I'm afraid.

So I'm trying a compromise of my own invention. I'm going to remove the membrane under the gravel, spike the underlying clay soil with a fork to loosen. Then mix the good top soil I've ordered with all the gravel that is already there. This brought the price for the top soil down to £220. Much less painful for my purse.

So its a bit of an experiment.

The mix comes with instructions for the whole process and maintenance after - no mention of using up waste gravel though!!

This weekend I'm preparing the site and the new soil arrives on Monday  - so I can sow the seed mixture in early spring.

Wish me luck - I'll let you know how I get on.

Caroline

x



To learn more about me and Caroline's Cottage Gardens please visit my website. https://sites.google.com/site/carolinescottagegardens/