On 6/5/08 01:21, in article , "Jamista"
wrote:


I am a complete novice gardener who has just relandscaped her garden. I
have several large empty beds and am looking for advice on what to
plant.

I need
a. privacy from neighbouring gardens at the back of the bed .
b. colourful flowering shrubs.
c. variety of seasonal colours.

In addition I am planning a pergola and would like suggestions on what
to grow up it for fast coverage with preferably flowers.

Any thoughts on small garden flowering trees for areas in between the
beds.

Finally there will be pots littering the garden to break up the
gravel/paving so anthing which will grow without much maintenance in
these to provide colour would be great.

Soil is a fairly fertile heavy type-good for veg in the past. Garden
is south facing.
I dislike any spikes and overly blousey flowers.

Garden is for me and my dogs to enjoy so ideally anything scented is an
added bonus.

I would suggest that you get hold of the Yellow Book put out by the National
Gardens Scheme and visit every garden you can that's open to the public in
your area. You can order the book online or buy it from many garden centres
and nurseries. Take a note book with you and write down or ask for the
name of anything that catches your eyes. If the owners permit, take photos
because these will jog your memory. Do this right through spring, summer
and autumn, because all kinds of different things will be lovely at
different times and a garden that is 'over' by the end of June is rather
sad. Right now, rhododendrons and azaleas are coming into flower and look
wonderful but in a couple of weeks, they'll be finished, so bear in mind
that you can always use them as a climbing frame for other plants like later
flowering Clematis. Camellias flower at varying times but some C.sasanqua
can be in flower in November. Winter scent can be provided by the tiny
flowers of Sarcococca. Acers give brilliantly coloured stems and leaves and
wonderful autumn colour but many need careful positioning. Etc. etc.
You need to tell us where you live, too, because climate makes a lot of
difference to what is suggested for you. For example, we have a very highly
scented Rhododendron called 'Lady Alice Fitzwilliam', which is an absolute
knockout but it won't take much cold in the winter and even down here we put
horticultural fleece over it on frosty nights. It's well worth the small
effort because now, sitting at second storey level with the window very
slightly ajar, I can smell it from across the lawn.
Pots could contain herbs but on the whole pots need to be watered twice a
day in hot weather and allowed to drain, so raise them on stones or the
little 'feet' you find in gcs. Whether you consider that high or low
maintenance is personal taste, really. For your pergola, I'd suggest
honeysuckles and roses.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'