Q: We got raised flower beds built last year to surround our patio, but have yet to have much success with planting them. I’m wondering what could you advise what to plant to a) offer some height to the area; and b) to be relatively fast growing, to fill out the gaps in the beds, and maybe offer a nice smell? Part of the area gets full sun, and part is shaded. FR, Dublin
A: This looks like a very charming little courtyard-style garden that’s brimming with potential. My first piece of advice is to strip the damaged trellising from the white section of wall, and then paint it the same grey colour as the rest of the walls and fencing to underscore the space’s lovely sense of seclusion, give a sense of depth, and act as a handsome foil to any subsequent planting.
My second piece of advice is to make sure that the soil in your raised beds is as good as it can be, to support vigorous, healthy plant growth in the years ahead. It should be dark, crumbly, easy to dig, and ideally enriched with some very well-rotted manure to fortify it and help it retain moisture. It also needs to be at a finished level that’s just a little – roughly 3cm – below the wooden retaining boards, which means (judging by the photo) that the existing soil level needs to be topped up in places. Use a really good-quality graded topsoil to do this, very gently treading it down as you do so to stop it later sinking. Then mulch the entire surface with some well-rotted manure, and some sprinkled handfuls of a slow-release pelleted organic fertiliser in preparation for planting.
As regards the latter, the secret to making this kind of intimate courtyard space feel lush and serene is to focus on ornamental climbers and wall shrubs that can be trained against its walls to make best use of all that wonderful vertical growing space. In particular, concentrate on species that will provide lots of evergreen interest throughout the year as well as interesting contrasts of leaf shape. Examples include star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides), a great climber for a sheltered sunny wall, whose jasmine-like white flowers are both pretty and perfumed; spring-flowering Clematis “Avalanche”, which is happy in sun or light shade as long as it’s given a sheltered spot; and the summer-flowering Seemann’s climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea seemannii). Add some ornamental wall shrubs as well as a few deciduous clematis (varieties of shade-tolerant spring-flowering Clematis alpina and late summer flowering Clematis viticella) and one or two compact climbing roses (examples include the claret-flowered, shade tolerant, repeat-flowering Rose “Souvenir du Docteur Jamain”) to ring in the seasons.
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Bear in mind that the garden’s existing climber (the flowering plant to the left) is a pretty but slightly thuggish evergreen known as Chilean potato vine or Solanum crispum “Glasnevin”, that will need an annual spring pruning to stop it hogging too much space.
You can also add some fast-growing, low-growing/creeping plants to give additional interest. Lavender is great for a sunny, sheltered, free-draining spot where its perfume can be fully appreciated, as are thyme and prostrate rosemary. For shade, use architectural ferns (Polystichum setiferum), hellebores and ornamental grasses (Carex “Irish Green”). For some short-lived immediate colour while you’re waiting for these perennials, shrubs and climbers to mature, use fast-growing summer flowering annuals such as cosmos, marigolds and scented sweet pea.
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