Looking on the upside

February into March can have sunny crisp days amongst some of the gloom and it got me thinking about upsides instead of downsides, so here’s a few ideas.

Sunny salvias

I’ve seen lots of offers on salvias recently and there are plenty of upsides to planting these in your garden:

• There are loads to choose from and they are super bee-friendly.

• There’s a lovely colour and height range.

• Many are fully hardy whereas others are less so; check the plant label as here in Cumbria it can get pretty wet and cold!

• They fit into many garden styles from naturalistic through to more formal schemes.

• They generally like sun and a well-drained soil; choose larger leaved types for a partially shaded spot. Plant them in late spring so they have a growing season for roots to be established.

Favourites

• Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ – flowers from midsummer; great for naturalistic planting. Needs well drained soil and doesn’t like winter wet.

• Salvia ‘Amistad’ – tall and long flowering with a deep purple colour, good to grow in pots as it is half hardy.

• Salvia microphylla ‘Pink Lips’ – a bright two-tone flower of white and pink, great next to a purple leaved shrub; another half hardy one so think about protecting it in winter.

Growing vertical

On a different “upside” clients ask me about vertical planting and it is a must to consider in designs not only to bring height interest but also to use potentially wasted areas. It’s a great opportunity to get more greenery into smaller spaces. Growing climbers on a fence is one obvious answer but other ways are:

• adding fence shelving or pouches

• erecting decorative trellis or wooden slats to disguise the fence

• building a pergola or arbour

• installing a living wall – complete kits are available, not necessarily the cheapest option but they create superb impact

• hanging baskets - these might be considered old hat but there are many creative ways to use hanging space for your plants

February into March tasks

Finally, there are some jobs to do outside now there are better weather days:

• Prune summer-flowering shrubs like buddleja and winter-flowering shrubs that have finished flowering.

• Take hardwood cuttings of plants like dogwoods, which are great for stem colour in winter.

• Visit gardens for winter inspiration!

Contact me to discuss your garden wish-list from complete designs to revamping a tired border.

© 2023 Karen Roberts Garden Design