Front garden plants

flogen

I've a narrow strip of earth running along the steps to my front door that is currently hosting little more than some weeds - and I was thinking a few plants might help make it a bit more presentable.

Given my limited knowledge and experience in the garden, I'm wondering if there's anything I should lean towards or avoid when I go looking for a few things to plant.

Ideally I'd like something with a bit of colour that isn't going to get out of hand too easily (anything that will will start encroaching on the path and/or the neighbour's side). Relatively low-maintenance would be nice too!

Thanks in advance.

stoneill

Wallflower plants always look good and a few lupins at the back.

griffzinho

Sweet Box is lovely near a door for it's scent. Black berries and white flowers. More Winter interest though.

Some nice fuschias maybe for the summer colour?

flogen

stoneill wrote: »

Wallflower plants always look good and a few lupins at the back.

Wallflowers would be perfect, thanks. Lupins could be nice too - I remember my mam having some orange ones in the garden for years!

griffzinho wrote: »

Sweet Box is lovely near a door for it's scent. Black berries and white flowers. More Winter interest though.

Some nice fuschias maybe for the summer colour?

Lovely, thanks - all of them look good... though would black berries take up a lot of space?

Marhay70

flogen wrote: »

Wallflowers would be perfect, thanks. Lupins could be nice too - I remember my mam having some orange ones in the garden for years!



Lovely, thanks - all of them look good... though would black berries take up a lot of space?

The black berries are on the box plant, they are not blackberry plants.
If you like wallflowers go for Erysimum, the perennial wallflower. Will grow just about anywhere except waterlogged soil,doesn't need much attention, grows quickly, is evergreen and with regular deadheading will flower from April 'til October. It is also a magnet for butterflies and bees and highly scented. Though I say it's perennial and it is, I usually replace mine after a few years because they get a bit woody but they are probably one of the easiest plants to propagate, take a few cuttings in March and you will have mature plants by the end of the summer. If that doesn't appeal to you, you can cut them back by about a third in early spring and they will come again but flowering will be reduced.

flogen

Marhay70 wrote: »

The black berries are on the box plant, they are not blackberry plants.

Ah - thanks :P

If you like wallflowers go for Erysimum, the perennial wallflower. Will grow just about anywhere except waterlogged soil,doesn't need much attention, grows quickly, is evergreen and with regular deadheading will flower from April 'til October. It is also a magnet for butterflies and bees and highly scented. Though I say it's perennial and it is, I usually replace mine after a few years because they get a bit woody but they are probably one of the easiest plants to propagate, take a few cuttings in March and you will have mature plants by the end of the summer. If that doesn't appeal to you, you can cut them back by about a third in early spring and they will come again but flowering will be reduced.

Sound perfect - thanks!