Plants for below a mixed hedge

[PipOfSuffolk]

Hi everyone,

I am in rural Suffolk, UK (growing zone 8b), and we have a beautiful mixed hedge about 7 foot high to the right of our front garden. It’s a mix of Holly, Hawthorn, and Rose of Sharon, with a thin strip of very weedy turf just front of it. The front garden is north facing, and the hedge gets a fair amount of sun throughout the day.

We have issues with three cornered garlic which we’e digging up en masse (I anticipate we’ll be doing so for years to come!!), but I'd like to plant something else in in the space below the hedge, particularly as birds use the hedge and I’d like a bit of ground cover for them. The ground has the traditional issue of being very dry below the hedge, and I'd guess fairly low on nutrients etc.

Any suggestions of what might do well? Thanks so much on advance.

 

[oneeye]

Hi everyone,

I am in rural Suffolk, UK (growing zone 8b), and we have a beautiful mixed hedge about 7 foot high to the right of our front garden. It’s a mix of Holly, Hawthorn, and Rose of Sharon, with a thin strip of very weedy turf just front of it. The front garden is north facing, and the hedge gets a fair amount of sun throughout the day.

We have issues with three cornered garlic which we’e digging up en masse (I anticipate we’ll be doing so for years to come!!), but I'd like to plant something else in in the space below the hedge, particularly as birds use the hedge and I’d like a bit of ground cover for them. The ground has the traditional issue of being very dry below the hedge, and I'd guess fairly low on nutrients etc.

Any suggestions of what might do well? Thanks so much on advance.

Can you post a photo of the area. I love Hollies, Hawthorn, and Rose of Sharon.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

My immediate thoughts are bluebells and wind flowers (wood anemone), remember bluebells take seven years from seed to flower, bulbs can be a better way to go. Lords and ladies give a flower and good berries, but poisonous if you have kids. A horizontal cotoneaster would probably make it, again, flowers and berries, and insects love the flowers.

 

[PipOfSuffolk]

Can you post a photo of the area. I love Hollies, Hawthorn, and Rose of Sharon.

I’m not sure this photo has come out especially well; I might try for another later. It’s much darker than it appears here, and there is much more space underneath.

 

[PipOfSuffolk]

My immediate thoughts are bluebells and wind flowers (wood anemone), remember bluebells take seven years from seed to flower, bulbs can be a better way to go. Lords and ladies give a flower and good berries, but poisonous if you have kids. A horizontal cotoneaster would probably make it, again, flowers and berries, and insects love the flowers.

Thank you for your suggestions, Oliver. I agree Bluebells could work well, especially given how successful the three cornered leeks have been. Were gradually digging up the Spanish kind to replace with native. We would definitely go the bulb route, for the reasons you say. Truthfully, I’d forgotten you *could* grow them from seed, but of course you’re right - hopefully this would mean bulbs we planted would gradually multiplied over following years. My partner is less keen on the idea of a horizontal Cotonester, but I wonder if Cranesbill Geranium’s would provide some coverage after Bluebell season is over.

 

[DiggersJo]

Muscari grows anywhere...

 

[PipOfSuffolk]

Oh, another excelletn suggestion. We do have some of these are the front, around the edges of the grass. I'll suggest these, too. Thank you for the idea.