Island Bed

 

June 2003 - from left white foxgloves, Arbutus
unedo, Alchemilla mollis, Spirea 'Snowmound'

November 2001 - Miscanthus 'Undine'
and Cornus sanguinea 'Midwinter Fire'

November 2000 - featuring Miscanthus 'Undine'

January 2002 - Miscanthus 'Undine',
Carex 'Evergold' and
Convolvulus cneorum

 September 2001, viewed from patio -
Stipa splendens, Hyssopus officianalis,
Miscanthus 'Undine', Cosmos
This border was started in winter 1999/2000, and was designed to provide an area of year round interest as it is in full view of the house window. For this reason it features many plants with attractive foliage.

The focal point of the bed is an abstract slate sculpture, consisting of two slabs of slate driven into the soil and surrounded by low growing plants in a mulch of slate chippings. This is backed by the dramatic grass Miscanthus 'Undine'. Much of my inspiration for this bed came from the book Gardening With Grasses.

Plant list:

Shrubs: Cornus sanguinea 'Midwinter Fire', Osmanthus delavayi, Arbutus unedo, Spirea nipponica 'Snowmound'

Grasses and Perennials: Carex 'Evergold', Acanthus mollis, Acanthus spinosus, Helleborus argutifolius, Miscanthus 'Undine', Verbascum chaixii 'Album', Verbascum phoeniceum, Saxifraga x urbium, Stipa tenuissima, Schizostylis coccinea, Penstemon 'White Bedder' (left)

Bulbs: Allium 'Purple Sensation', Leucojum aestivum 'Gravetye Giant'