Hardy Perrennials

[Acorn1]

My garden is pretty boring, patio, grass that’s it.

It”s south facing with a 6’ fence at the back.

I’m building a raised bed out of sleepers that will abut the back fence,

As this area does not get that much light due to the fence height, what kind of plants, shrubs, trees do you think would survive there?

Really looking to bring some colour into the garden and something that will attract the bees, also low maintenance.

[mrsshpub]

This website should help. It lets you set parameters (e.g. location, soil type etc.) & comes up with a list of suggestions. https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/search-form

[Sheets Tabuer]

Big fan or Rudbeckia, Echinacea, Phlox and Dianthus last year, they were still flowering into October. Probably won't work in complete shade but I have a south facing garden with a 6 foot wall so it doesn't get a lot of sun for a few feet in front of it.

[Acorn1]

LR90 said:

You’ll need some idea of your soil type and pH. The former you can test just by looking at it to work out if it’s clay, loam or sand etc. Plenty of advice online about it. You can test the pH with a cheap online kit.

If you want low maintenance, I’d go heavy on the shrubs. Photonia, hydrangeas. Pieris and Rhodoendrons are nice too but only if you have acidic soil. Buddleia will attract butterflies.

I’s going to be filled with new top soil laid on the existing grass, should be about 2 to 3’ deep.

[sherman]

At the very least I would rotovate the grass as it will be very compacted compared to the topsoil.
Ideally uou should cut the turf off. It only needs to be the top inch you remove.

[8-P]

Shady spots like this are tricky, I have one similar, you also need to factor in slugs. I’ve given up on many plants for this reason and I would avoid Hostas even though they are good in shade. Heucheras would be perfect - utterly robust, evergreen ish, slugs ignore them too. It’s a Googlable topic but right plant right place is the rule.

[DarkMatter]

You might get some good ideas from a book such as Plants For Places

[bigpriest]

I bought a variety of 'plants for shade' from the local garden centre. They are at ground level behind the gravel board of a south-facing fence and get no direct sunlight. The only ones that have thrived and are growing well are Common Sage [Salvia officinalis], Bugleherb [Ajuga reptans] and Spotted Dead Nettle [Lamium maculatum] but I think Mint and Thyme would work as well. As long as you're happy with mainly coloured leaves and tiny flowers.

Edited by bigpriest on Saturday 19th April 14:36

[Acorn1]

Thanks for the advice chaps, I am busy researching your suggestions and will remove top layer of grass.

[anonymous-user]

Acorn1 said:

Thanks for the advice chaps, I am busy researching your suggestions and will remove top layer of grass.

You could just pay cardboard on the top of the existing lane and put your topsoil over that - the so-called ‘no dig’ method. Saves you lifting the turf.

[Simpo Two]

Anemone japonica likes shade, looks good and is easy to grow.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/anemone/japanese

[andyxxx]

Hang on, surely a South facing wall gets sun, North facing less so.

[Simpo Two]

andyxxx said:

Hang on, surely a South facing wall gets sun, North facing less so.

The garden is south facing, which generally means as viewed from the house. So the wall you see at the end would be north facing.

[Byker28i]

8-P said:

Shady spots like this are tricky, I have one similar, you also need to factor in slugs. I’ve given up on many plants for this reason and I would avoid Hostas even though they are good in shade. Heucheras would be perfect - utterly robust, evergreen ish, slugs ignore them too. It’s a Googlable topic but right plant right place is the rule.

Last year/year before Gardeners world had a hosta specialist, grew nothing but hostas in his garden, said he used garlic cloves in water to keep the slugs at bay, with the advantage it kept them away but didn't poison them, or anything that ate them

Found this from the person: https://www.siennahosta.co.uk/pages/garlic-wash-re...

[Acorn1]

Thanks guys

This is where I'm at at the moment, should be finished today.

Unfortunately my garden slope to the rear and the left in that corner.