How do you choose?
Eyren Offline
Hardy perennial
#12
What I look for in ornamentals:

  • Is it attractive to bees? Without pollinators, some of my veg will struggle to fruit, so the more the merrier!
  • Is it scented, and if so, do I like the scent? There's nothing lovelier than the scent of roses or honeysuckle on a June evening breeze, but I find jasmine a bit sickly
  • Is it available in purple/pink/white? I'm not so keen on 'warm' colours, though I'll make an exception for workhorse companions like marigolds
  • Is it native, or at least a selected breed of a native species? (More likely to support wildlife)
  • Will it fill a gap, either physical or seasonal? It's always good to extend the flowering season, to help early/late insects, and ornamentals are a good choice for shadier spots where veg won't flourish
Hence my garden (current/planned) contains a lot of traditional ornamentals like roses, honeysuckle, clematis, sweet peas, hardy geraniums, salvias, tulips and crocuses. Some might find it boring and predictable, but I know what I like!
How much veg and wildlife can I pack into a 6m x 8m garden in suburban Cambridge? Let’s find out!  Smile
[-] The following 2 users Like Eyren's post:
  • Small chilli, Veggie
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Messages In This Thread
How do you choose? - by Small chilli - 12-08-2020, 11:11 AM
RE: How do you choose? - by Veggie - 12-08-2020, 11:24 AM
RE: How do you choose? - by Small chilli - 12-08-2020, 11:35 AM
RE: How do you choose? - by Veggie - 12-08-2020, 11:44 AM
RE: How do you choose? - by Small chilli - 12-08-2020, 11:54 AM
RE: How do you choose? - by PyreneesPlot - 12-08-2020, 12:07 PM
RE: How do you choose? - by Veggie - 12-08-2020, 12:18 PM
RE: How do you choose? - by Small chilli - 12-08-2020, 12:51 PM
RE: How do you choose? - by Jimny14 - 13-08-2020, 10:19 AM
RE: How do you choose? - by Admin - 13-08-2020, 11:30 AM
RE: How do you choose? - by Small chilli - 13-08-2020, 11:37 AM
RE: How do you choose? - by Eyren - 13-08-2020, 12:49 PM
RE: How do you choose? - by JJB - 13-08-2020, 03:04 PM
RE: How do you choose? - by Scarlet - 15-08-2020, 10:54 PM
RE: How do you choose? - by Mikey - 15-08-2020, 11:02 PM
RE: How do you choose? - by Scarlet - 15-08-2020, 11:18 PM
RE: How do you choose? - by Mikey - 16-08-2020, 12:20 AM
RE: How do you choose? - by Scarlet - 17-08-2020, 11:32 AM
RE: How do you choose? - by Veggie - 17-08-2020, 12:08 PM
RE: How do you choose? - by Curly - 16-08-2020, 01:54 PM
RE: How do you choose? - by Veggie - 16-08-2020, 03:30 PM



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