Help with planting combination

paddylonglegs

Hi folks.

I need some help with deciding on plant combinations. I am building a long planter for privacy, approx 4m long, with a trellis to allow a climber to grow. I got some hellebore Niger plants very cheap last week so that's my start. I have to introduce a climber to grow up the trellis to give the privacy, and would like to add 2 plant species to compliment the hellebores and climber.

So - I would like to get your thoughts on what I could add to compliment the hellebores and a suggestion for climbers. To give you an idea of the site, it will be situated on a patio in a north facing garden, partial shade and zero sun during winter. Thanks for your time

griffzinho

Just on a side note regards the Hellebores Niger. Watch out for slugs and this Hellebore. They absolutely murdered mine.

Eve222

You could look up the following to see if you might like them, Brunnera looking glass, it has silvery leaves. Hardy geranium dusky crug, it has bronze leaves. There is also different types of ferns.

As Griffzinho has said snails and slugs love hostas, putting sand around the plants helps.

paddylonglegs

Eve222 wrote: »

You could look up the following to see if you might like them, Brunnera looking glass, it has silvery leaves. Hardy geranium dusky crug, it has bronze leaves. There is also different types of ferns.

As Griffzinho has said snails and slugs love hostas, putting sand around the plants helps.

Thanks for that. Would lambs ears work well? I wonder would a silver type plant be a good addition

Eve222

Lambs ear is a good hardy plant but needs good drainage, it doesn't like wet condition. I don't have it myself so I'm not sure how the soft fluffy leaves would hold up to all the rain we get.

I think white and silver plants catches the eye in the evening just before it gets dark. Also I think silver and bronze leaved plants look very well together.

I intend to put them in my own garden, I have been collecting plants for the last few weeks to put in another border in my garden.

looksee

No problem with lambs ears, I used to have them and they grew fine, though I think they get a bit straggly for a planter. In a shaded situation ferns are great and easy to grow. Berginias are good too, get a choice named variety. Vinca will stay variegated in a shady spot. I have a Zepherine Drouhin rose growing against a north facing wall that gets pretty much no sunshine and it flowers really well.

paddylonglegs

Eve222 wrote: »

Lambs ear is a good hardy plant but needs good drainage, it doesn't like wet condition. I don't have it myself so I'm not sure how the soft fluffy leaves would hold up to all the rain we get.

I think white and silver plants catches the eye in the evening just before it gets dark. Also I think silver and bronze leaved plants look very well together.

I intend to put them in my own garden, I have been collecting plants for the last few weeks to put in another border in my garden.

Thanks for this, yeah I could be swayed with the bronze. The stalk on the hellebores are brown red colour so this would tie in. The carex red rooster might be the way to go.

Thanks for the suggestion

Sonnenblumen

A useful companion plant would be ornamental grasses (Carex/Acorus). You do realise by planting climbers you are effectively providing good cover for slugs. You can hope for the best with slug deterrents, but realistically expect the worse!