Plants we can't kill

[Stuart]

We would be very grateful for your ideas.

We have a very small walled garden at our house in Basse Normandy, which will be used for holidays and long weekends only.

We don't really want to have a lawn, because it will either go wild for the weeks we are not there, or will die off in the summer heat. So, we have decided to pave the majority of the garden, leaving some gaps for planting around the edges, which will be perhaps 50-75cm wide.

We are considering planting the more hardy shrubs and herbs like lavenders, rosemary, thyme, origano etc.

We would also like some tough plants for a bit of lively colour. We did think of geraniums but we can't seem to think of anything else (some sort of gardeners block).

Can anyone suggest some plants that will survive being left on their own for 4-5 weeks at a time - native plants would be nice.

Thanks in advance.

Stuart

[Pixietoadstool]

LAST EDITED ON 13-Jun-04 AT 10:10 PM (BST)

We have had a lot of success with roses in Basse Normandie (we have about 20 already after only a couple of years planting and they are doing well without exception in an exposed garden 1000 feet up). Once established they only really need feeding twice a year plus perhaps the odd anti-greenfly spray.

The ground is acid and other plants which have survived without much help or watering are irises, alchemilla mollis, acanthus, rheum, philadelphus, ice plants, euphorbia, ceanothus, rhododendron, camellia, sea thrift, rosemary, thyme, chives, tarragon, parsley, mint, garlic, viburnum, globe artichokes, pumpkins and of course hydrangeas (although the latter does suffer if not kept sufficiently watered). We leave our pelargoniums in pots for weeks at a time from Easter onwards and they are still alive on our return although they could probably do better with a bit of a water in between. I should imagine geraniums would do pretty well too (i.e. the perennial sort) because they thrive in well drained soil. Just make sure you prepare the ground well, feed them, cover with weed protection and/or ecorces (bark) and you will have given them a good chance. For fruit try fig, plum, apple, cherry and pear trees - you can get dwarf versions for small gardens and the blossom is lovely in the spring!

Just look how everything else grows in Normandy without too much help except from the elements!

Bonne courage/bonne chance!

Valerie

P.S. Buy your roses in UK - they are very expensive in France. We use a local nursery near us in Hampshire and get very large and healthy specimens for about 6.

[Floydmike]

We got rid of our lawn in Fulham some years ago and replaced in with a membrane that would let water down but not let weeds up. The membrane was then covered with pebbles. To plant, we would brush the stones away, cut a whole and then, pop the plant in and brush the pebbles back. After 10 years, the pebbles are hardly visible. Apart from the plants mentioned elsewhere, we have had success with sedums, sempervivums and saxifrages, none of which seem to need much watering. Indeed most mat forming plants have done well.

Mike

[Liz]

My favourite plants for almost any situation are Euonymus. They do not flower (or insignificant) but the foliage is usually variegated and there are sizes to suit all gardens. They can be low growing and cover the ground, suppressing weeds, such as Emerald & Gold, or they can be taller but not too bushy. Either way you have colour all year round. I find them widely available here as well as in the UK. There is a native version also if you want to stick to native plants.

One thing I found when I planted our garden originally as a holiday home was that many plants I had chosen were at their best in winter when we weren't here! So choose things that will be at the best when you are most likely to be at your property. It is most frustrating to have a really big Camelia which you never see flower from January to March.

I would also recommend planting in the Autumn so that new plants can take advantage of the autumn and winter rains.

Liz (29)

[Stuart]

Thanks to everybody for their ideas - you have given us lots to think about.

We already have many of the plants mentioned in our garden here in Sussex, so we could end up with a real home-from-home!!


Stuart