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have a look on my blog, I have planted several borders with those specifications, and there is a good selection of plants you can use
dry and shady border
summer colour in shady borders
I can also do a planting list by post if you need more detailed plans
Thanks Claire, That border is looking great. Especially in spring.
I should have been more specific. The lawn is already surrounded by borders to three sides. The customer would like something with very little maintenance. Ideal something low growing and spreading that will look after it's self. I thought Lilly of the valley would be a good bet. What do think? I could put in a few Dicentra, Fuchsia and Hellebores. The customers is very keen on Hellebores.
Thanks, Nick
I agree with everything Claire and Brigitt have suggested, the borders they've created look really great. Last year I planted under large pines and the needles that come down do cause problems, pines shed more in the autumn. Anyway, here are a few more suggestions of my own that I found to be very hardy in similar conditions:
Euphorbia amygdlaoides 'Robbiae' , low maintenance (sap causes rashes though, wear gloves)
Hypericum calycinum - good ground cover
Geranium macrorrhizum
Pachysandra terminalis 'Green Sheen'- a lovely glossy leaved variety
Heucheras, heucherellas
Vinca major and minor
I hope you have enough to choose from now, good luck Nick
Hi Nick
Tricky spot especially if the soil is lacking in organic matter, however a few barrow loads of muck would soon sort that out.
Hostas might not be so happy they can go a bit yellow in chalky soil, depends a lot on your pH.
Vinca should be ok, have you thought about euonymus lots of them are happy in chalk.
A great resource is the RHS plant selector http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/ and you don't have to be an rhs member to use it.
Good luck
Decompact the root area and mulch well, and plant drought-tolerant species. The tree will be taking water from whatever you plant as well as the grass that is there now.
Thank you all so much!
Lots of brilliant information here. Will have another chat with customer and formulate a plan.
Thanks again,
Nick
Hi Nick just to add that Lily of the valley while beautiful is there for such a short time.
How about ground cover cotoneaster - white spring flowers, red autumn berries and great weed suppressing ground cover. - Cotoneaster Horizontalis or Dammeri or mooncreeper are great varieties