Plants for every corner of the garden

Every garden has difficult corners: that shady corner where nothing grows, the bank where the soil slides every time it rains, the strip next to the wall that bakes in August. Each of those spots has plants that not only survive, but thrive precisely because of those conditions.

Dry shade (under eaves, next to north-facing walls)

The hardest corner in the garden: little light and little water, and often wall roots nearby. These work:

• Aspidistra, the "cast-iron plant", which takes almost any neglect.
• Epimedium, Geranium macrorrhizum, Liriope muscari, Luzula.
• Dryopteris fern, more drought-tolerant than other ferns.
• Vinca (periwinkle) as a fast ground cover, but keep it contained because it spreads eagerly.

Under a large tree

Here you compete with the tree's roots for water and nutrients. Choose shallow-rooted, low-demand plants, plant in autumn so they root with the rains and don't dig a big hole near the trunk:

• Autumn cyclamen, snowdrops and other bulbs that do their cycle before the tree has all its leaves.
• Heuchera, brunnera, wood geranium, ajuga, pulmonaria.
• A layer of leaf mould every autumn greatly improves that area over time.

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Bank or steep slope

The aim is to hold the soil with roots and cover quickly to slow erosion:

• Prostrate rosemary, Lonicera nitida, horizontal Cotoneaster, ivy.
• Tufted grasses with dense roots (festuca, Stipa, Pennisetum).
• Hypericum, Cerastium, Cistus and lavender on sunny banks.
• A coir fibre blanket the first year while the plants close over the surface.

Next to a sunny wall (a lot of reflected heat)

A warm, dry microclimate, a small piece of the Mediterranean. Ideal for sun climbers and herbs:

• Bougainvillea, jasmine, Solanum, vine, honeysuckle.
• At the foot of the wall: lavender, salvia, Perovskia, Gaura, Sedum, rosemary.
• Use that corner for slightly cold-sensitive plants: the wall stores heat and protects them in winter.

Wet or waterlogging area

• Water Iris, Lythrum, Astilbe, Ligularia, carex.
• Willow, and dogwood (Cornus) with red or yellow wood for winter colour.
• If the waterlogging is occasional and not permanent, sometimes it's enough to improve the soil drainage or plant on a raised mound.

Large outdoor pots in full sun

• Olive, bay, Agapanthus, Phormium, grasses, citrus in mild areas.
• Herbs: rosemary, thyme, salvia, lavender.
• Drip irrigation with one or two drippers per pot: in summer they can't last a weekend without it.

Path edge (walked on occasionally)

• Creeping thyme, Dichondra, Frankenia, Roman chamomile, pennyroyal.
• They give off scent when you step on them and tolerate light, occasional foot traffic.

A corner with strong wind

• As a barrier: Tamarix, Elaeagnus, Pittosporum, clumping bamboo.
• Behind the barrier, you can put more delicate plants.
• Avoid tall, hollow-stemmed plants (some giant grasses, sunflowers) without a stake.

With this guide to corners and the selection of the best plants for a small garden you have practically any space covered.

Frequently asked questions

What do I plant in an area that gets no sun at all?

Full shade: aspidistra, hardy ferns, ophiopogon, ivy, and on the ground, moss if the environment is humid. If it's also dry, aspidistra and Liriope are the most resistant.

Why do my plants die at the foot of a pine or a cedar?

Those trees acidify and dry the soil a lot with their leaf litter and their roots. Plant drought-tolerant acid-lovers (heather, Leucothoe) or solve the area with a thick bark mulch.

What do I put on a bank so I don't have to mow it?

Low-maintenance woody ground covers: horizontal Cotoneaster, prostrate rosemary, Lonicera nitida or lavender in a group. Plant them dense and in 2 years they cover and don't let the grass grow.

Can I plant a small tree in a pot permanently?

Yes: olive, citrus, Japanese maple, bay and many conifers live for years in a large pot (minimum 50 L) with quality growing medium, drip irrigation and regular feeding. You have to repot or refresh the soil every 3-4 years.