Raised Bed

[Connie777]

Hello, I need advise please on my raised Bed , it is full of very stoney topsoil & compost mix, Delphiniums & Irises grow well in it but once they go over it is quite bare , I want to plant a drought tolerant & windproof plants in it , as we are on top of a hill the wind is quite bad & added to that it only gets Sun from 11am onwards in the day, what would you suggest I grow please ? I do want colour as it is outside our bedroom window, Thanks Connie

Raised Bed

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[oldherbaceous]

Good afternoon, Connie, I think I would be sowing some hardy annuals….cornflowers, calendula, antirrhinum, nasturtium and there are many, many more…keep them dead headed and they will flower all summer.
Hope that helps a little.

[Geoff]

If you want perennial flowers to keep the colour going later in the year you could try Geranium Roxanne, Rudbeckia Goldsturm and a Sedum say Autumn Joy.

[oldherbaceous]

Also, dwarf nepeta, lavender and cottage pinks….

[oldherbaceous]

You might have to extend your raised bed, Connie….

[Primrose]

Think over a period of time I,d also try and remove some of the bigger stones if you have a nearby council tip you can take them to.. I don't know who,s responsible for mowing your lawn, but adding some grass cuttings and other rotted down material if you,re able to have room for a small compost heap will enable you to Improve the well-being of your plant and if it,s windy help retain more moisture in the soil.

[Connie777]

Thankyou for all your replies, have considered annuals but would prefer perennials, I thought maybe some Dahlias( as I love them) would be nice, but worried about wind damage, also think I do need to remove some of the gravel in the bed & top dress it this Autumn

[retropants]

If you are worried about wind damage, try the shorter dahlia varieties, as the taller ones fall over without much encouragement. Agapanthus are also pretty resilient. Good luck!

[Connie777]

Thanks everyone