This Bit

[Uncle Joshua]

I have given my wife part of my allotment to grow flowers in but so far she hasn't made much progress with it, I have plantet a couple of Dixonia Antarctica's and a grass but as it looks like I'll get this job too I thouht I'd ask you what you'd plant?

How it looks now...



Please note this area is very heavy clay.

[Uncle Joshua]

[Crystalmoon]

Hi there I just picked up a leaflet about this at my local garden centre so will list what they suggest for clay soils

Tall Herbaceous perennials - Helenium & Astrantia masterwort (sunny), anemone japonica & Aquilegia (shade)
Low Herbaceous perennials - Hemerocallis day lily & Paeonia (peony) for sun, Hosta & Bergenia (elephants ears) for shade
Grasses - Calamagrostis (reed grass) for sun & Deschapsia for shade.
Deciduous shrubs - Philadelphus (mock orange) & Sambucus 'Black Lace' (black elder) for sun, Kerria & Hydrangea for shade.
Evergreen shrubs - Pyracantha (firethorn) & Buxus (box) for sun, Viburnum tinus & Choisya ternata for shade.

Hope that helps  ;D

[manicscousers]

is it for permanent flowers, Mick, or sunflowers , marigolds, etc..or wildflowers, sweet peas up trellis..lavender hedging,just some ideas  ;D

[Uncle Joshua]

Permanent would be better, I have sweet peas growing but they'll go by the fence on the left of that picture.


Forgot to say --- The bit of grreen you can see in the middle is a white african lilly.

[manicscousers]

then things to bring in the bees and butterflies, ground cover so's you're not forever weeding..we have a mock orange that would grow in that shady corner and brighten the place up, ah, just read about the sweet peas  ;D
..lavender low hedging would keep the soil in at the edge, don't forget the bulbs for spring and heather for winter  ;D
looks like you've a big job on your hands  ;D

[saddad]

Germander makes a great small hedge, grows about knee high and has pink flower stems the bees love... and unlike Lavender you can totally stool it if it gets out of hand. If you want aquilegia I have about twenty types seeding all over the allotments...  ;D

[Uncle Joshua]

Aquilegia might be a very good idea.

[PurpleHeather]

So, you have given her a minging bit of land, in the shade with rubbish soil. Gosh, what a wonderful husband you are. What did you give her for Christmas? A new washer Or some yarn and a knitting pattern for a man's jumper?

Nasturtiums perform better in bad soil, the flowers grow instead of the foliage. They can be used in salads and the seeds are eaten as capers. Will re-seed themselves every year too. Like a good woman, once planted, they can be left alone to get on with things.

Oh yes, some for-get-me-nots. Like your wife, they are not fussy and if they like you, they keep coming back.

[sunloving]

Id say be braver! ive had plots on both clay and sand and i alway do well with dahlias and chrysanths. Given them a mulch of grassclippings or any manure you have then let them go!
if its dry over winter they might even survive it to be come perrenials. I would also try poppysand rudbekias maybe even cleomes if your feeling exotic!
good luck
Sunlovingx

[manicscousers]

this year, I've planted echinacea as well as the rest of the companions , pots of flowering herbs would give you scent too, build a trellis round your bench, honeysuckle, clematis?
have fun  ;D