I have a very small garden, when we bought the house 4 years ago, it was in
very poor condtion, with many old wiry shrubs, these have eventually all
been removed and most plants are annuals. We will be moving in October and
letting the house out, so ideally I would like to plant a few plants that
will keep things from looking entirely boring and prevent some plants from
taking over the garden.

The current long term plants are chives, mint, oregano and thyme, a patch of
alpine strawberries (which will take over any soil left exposed!), a
climbing rose and two clematis which have not liked the soil, so we are not
too bothered about them!

The main area I would like to place something in is a bed about 4m long by 1
foot wide, close the wall of the house, part of it is in front of a lowish
window, the soil is basically clay, alkaline, fairly well drained and
reasonable quality after a lot of work! Any ideas for cheapish plants I
could pop in there in September?

The other area it would be useful to put something is much more challenging,
2 sections 2 metres long, but only 3 inches wide, soil is sandy in places
and there are several ivy roots still stuck in there. This year I have been
very sucessful with sweet peas in this area. It is also an area very
vunerable to wind.

Cheers

Anne

"Anne Rogers" wrote in message
...
I have a very small garden, when we bought the house 4 years ago, it was in
very poor condtion, with many old wiry shrubs, these have eventually all
been removed and most plants are annuals. We will be moving in October and
letting the house out, so ideally I would like to plant a few plants that
will keep things from looking entirely boring and prevent some plants from
taking over the garden.

The current long term plants are chives, mint, oregano and thyme, a patch
of alpine strawberries (which will take over any soil left exposed!), a
climbing rose and two clematis which have not liked the soil, so we are
not too bothered about them!

The main area I would like to place something in is a bed about 4m long by
1 foot wide, close the wall of the house, part of it is in front of a
lowish window, the soil is basically clay, alkaline, fairly well drained
and reasonable quality after a lot of work! Any ideas for cheapish plants
I could pop in there in September?

The other area it would be useful to put something is much more
challenging, 2 sections 2 metres long, but only 3 inches wide, soil is
sandy in places and there are several ivy roots still stuck in there. This
year I have been very sucessful with sweet peas in this area. It is also
an area very vunerable to wind.

Cheers

Anne


You could add Salvias (Sage) to the list of herb type things which should do
well in the sandy strips. Plenty to choose from but make sure you get
perennials and not the annual type

If you like flowers and food plant flax. I planted the light brown flax
and it produces beatifull violet flowers. I read a differnent kind of
flax is use for close. I my expermint the flax in this area any way.

My advice probly was not that good and It might be to late in the year
plant flax in England. I am myself am still experminting with the flax
my self to see how it will grow. Best. I am now growing it in coke
{which is chunks of fully burnt wood} and a sandy and heavly human
dunged soil poorly drained soil. Human dung is probly acidic. The coke
is probly alkine and slowly turns turns into ly. I figure the coke is
good for some plants that like alkine soil. a Because it slowly eats up
decaying matter and small decomposing peables or rocks. As seem to help
to keep clay and soil from cracking when it dries out. Many say to
plant the flax in loom. I starded with just sand and ash and it did
poorly. I add human dung. People in urban areas may not be able to use
it. It is proply the best fertilezer but it need to be broken down
first by dung betles and sun light and causes order. Plant are growing
better and flowering but are not obtaining the hight I want. I was
thinking about trying it in your type of soil with dung. I have clay
soil from decomposing rocks.