Advice on north facing garden

Ideally you need to know what type of soil you have, acid or alkaline so you choose plants that will thrive. Although if it's a new build it may be a horrible mix of builders rubble and clay. Are any of the nearby gardens planted up yet? Seeing what grows well nearby will help. Honeysuckle is good if you can give it a large wall or trellis to grow up.

I’m watching this with interest. I have a north facing garden too.For half the year it’s in the shade of the house and for half the year the bottom bit is in all day sun.

Does yours work like that tickingbird?

I lived with a north west facing garden for many years, it was frustrating at times getting plants to thrive. I found that shrubs I planted in the borders tended to grow inwards, making a small garden seem even smaller. Climbers on trellises may thrive better with pots on the ground to give bursts of colour. You could also move them around the garden till you find the best spot for them. Enjoy, any new garden is full of opportunities!

Thank you seacliff and yes it does Peasblossom

I have a feeling it will be builder’s rubble underneath the woodchipping stuff. There’s a garden centre close by but I’m rubbish at gardening and have bad knees so much kneeling is to be avoided. I just want it to look more green and colourful. I do spy out my bedroom windows on neighbouring gardens but not a great deal appears to be happening apart from the huge houses at the back whose gardens are south facing and have been landscaped by professionals!

Thank you grannyqueenie

I used to have both north and south gardens. North was on the street side so I planted shrubs that I didn't have to look after too much: Hydrangea, ceanothus, heathers, variegated holly, Photinia 'Red Robin', cornus and lots of bulbs.

I have a long north facing border. Through trial and error I now have growing happily: euphorbia, penstemon, heuchera, quite a few ferns, and a couple of hellebores. At the edges there are mounds of small campanula, grape hyacinths, forget-me-nots...and dotted throughout the border at the moment are crocus, tete-a-tete daffodils and primroses.

In the front garden there is also a north facing border where a hydrangea thrives, box balls, grape hyacinths, tete-a-tete daffodils, crocus, blue primulas, hellebores, a vigorous winter heather and a very happy shrub rose.

At one time I had Japanese anemones [pink] in there but they were too invasive so I took them out. I've found there are many plants which are ok here.

Maybe just a few tough shrubs you can plant and leave, apart from watering and a little pruning occasionally. Then some pots of colour that you can move around, so you have some colour most of the year, bulbs in spring, then bedding plants.

Euonymus fortunei ‘Emerald ‘n’ Gold’ evergreen lowish shrub, looks colourful all year, just foliage. Very easy.

Sarcococca hookeriana This is small shrub dark evergreen leaves and tiny white flowers in winter but smells very sweet and the bees are loving it now when not much is in flower. Likes shade.

Fuchsia 'Mrs Popple

Maybe some trailing begonias for bright colour all summer, they are fine with shade. They could be in hanging baskets or tubs.

This might give you some ideas.https://www.themiddlesizedgarden.co.uk/a-shady-border-the-best-and-easiest-part-of-your-garden/

I’m so grateful for this ladies. Thank you. I feel a trip to the garden centre coming on

I'm with grannyqueenie on this. Climbers - maybe from the bottom of the fencing, or from good size pots. Think about what you'd like - something colourful or scented? Then make a list and ask someone at the garden centre to make sure that what you choose would grow well in your north facing aspect.

You say you're not a gardener and the plot is small. Do you want the work of a lawn - even little ones can drive you bonkers manoeuvring a mower in a small space and they can be quite muddy if they're walked on a lot. If it was mine, I'd want a special place in which to sit, so I'd have climbers, lots of soft growth which was easy to clip with a secateurs when I chose, no borders, gravel (over some weed baffle) and then space for a small table and chairs. I'd find out what plants were happiest where, because I'd have them all in pots. This avoids weeding, pretty much, and allows plants to be moved and re-arranged into the best space, and added to at certain times of the year. It would be easy to have a couple of hanging baskets from the house wall or from fencing. From experience, sitting out on a clean gravelled area, covered with pretty pots of flowers and shrubs, allows most people to relax with coffee and a book and stop thinking that the grass needs cutting or the garden needs attention. And you'd be amazed just how much flowery stuff you can pack into a tiny space.

I've just had my garden designed with one corner area along the lines GrandmaFrench suggests. I can't send you the actual plans but here is a photo of how I described it to them. Gravel, stone troughs for container gardening, seating and a feeling of nestling amongst some greenery.

Oh wow Ellianne that looks beautiful. I’m so pleased I asked for advice on here.

I’m also thinking about the lawn now grandmafrench as it serves no purpose really.

That is really pretty, Ellianne. Such a lovely space to encourage year round sitting out and admiring it, rather than fretting over lawn edging and struggling with a mower. I love the Adirondack chairs and the soft colours.

I've got nothing against lovely lawns tickingbird, but very small grassed areas are hard to keep in good shape IMO. Take. your time and don't be afraid to experiment. It'll be great, you'll see!