Dysfunctional Planner

I am thrilled with my garden but my decking is full of flowers and my beds are just green. I love the green and the white wisteria when it blooms. I also love the pale yellow Rosa Banksiae and I know that it can more beautiful, more colour and flowers.

It’s important to know what height and size flowers grow, weather they prefer full sun or shade and when they flower. I am divided this blog in a few parts so the second part will be in the next few days just so I don’t bore you completely. I plan to paint a plan of the garden and a vertical layout but that will probably come out in a while.

Tulips:

I love tulips and they come in so many pretty colours, a perfect accompaniment to spring, I think I would like it in soft to dark pinks to bring some drama into the garden. I plan on popping some at the front and also lots in the beds to flood it with colour next year.

• Bulbs
• Flowers in Spring
• Not more than two feet
• Perennial
• Plant in November early December
• Full sun
• Leaves die back

Salvia yangii Russian sage:

Every time I see this plant it makes me stop in my tracks. I love the gradient from green to purple and I don’t mind that it is not edible. This is a real statement plant and will look good at the back of the beds and maybe even in a pot in the corner of the decking. I just need one plant and then I will propagate it and make lots more.

• Seeds or cuttings
• Green all year but flowers in spring to autumn
• 3-5 feet so plant at the back
• Herbaceous perennials
• Sew spring or autumn
• Full sun
• Divide clumps ever 4-6 years
• Pruning required : don’t eat
• Dry, well drained soil

Trailing rosmary

I saw this on gardeners world and thought this is the rosemary for me. I have propagated some traditional rosemary so I will be growing that as well but I can imagine growing these above my bathroom window so that it trails down and acts as a living blind. Even though rosemary isn’t my favourite herb I do like it in and I love the idea of using the flowers in salads and drying them on my herb rack.

• Seeds or cutting
• Green all year flowering spring summer
• Tailing 3 feet
• Herbaceous evergreen perennial
• Sew spring or autumn
• Full sun
• Pruning required: edible
• Dry, well drained soil

Salvia lyrical white

A pretty delicate white bedding filler it can either go at the back of midway in the bed. I love how delicate and soft these flowers are. They flower for a while so it’s a great summer bedding plant. They like full sun so it’s not ideal in my garden. I may have to pot them and move them around and see ow they develop.

• Seed
• Flowers summer to autumn
• 2-3 feet
• Perennials
• Sew in spring
• Full sun
• Cut the flowers
• Dry, well drained soil

Sage (I plan on potting)

The prettiest foliage of all and it’s my favourite colour. Ideally I would like lots of different sage plants potted up in my herb garden and also among the flowers ( if it survives as it likes good drainage and full sun). Perhaps I can find a sage that like Salvia glutinosa.

• Seed, cutting
• Evergreen
• Potted a foot tall
• Perennial
• Sew after spring frost
• Full sun
• Flowers are edible as well
• Moist but well-drained

Bay trees (I plan on potting)

Bag leaves fill my stews and roasts in winter. I refuse to buy them so now I want to grow them. My MiL gave me a bunch but I need to dry it properly then pop it in a jar. I do love these Lollipop trees so they can go in full sun on the deck and be the gate to the garden. Beautiful and useful.

• Seed cutting
• Evergreen
• Sky’s the limit they grow tall
• Perennial
• Sew spring
• Full sun
• Dry and add the leaves to food
• Pruning necessary
• Dry well drained soil, pot

Lavender (I plan on potting)

Lavender is supposed to be easy to grow but I have killed about 6 plants. My main problem is I plant them in the ground when I should monitor them by popping them in pots. I will add lots of stones and drainage so it can have a nice drink but not too much. Also I need to keep it in full sun and not anywhere with partial shade. You can tell I am knew to gardening… all the mistakes I have made.

• Seed, cutting
• Perennial
• Full sun
• Two feet tall
• Flowers July to September
• Cut back the stalks after the flowers have faded. Carefully trim back in April, taking care not to cut into old wood
• Well drained soil

I don’t mind that there will be pockets of yellow in the garden but the main colours will be purples pinks and whites and of course the greatest colour of them all, green with just a touch or pretty blue.

I am going to leave this blog here as it’s a lot of information but I have chosen lots of stunning flowers for the next installment.

The picture below is what I am focusing on next.