[bashful_badger]

We have just had our front drive done and the garden part terraced/levelled.  There is a small area of grass with a low retaining stone wall at the front, maybe 3foot high.  The edges of the wall curve at the corner and on the other side there is another long thin, curved at the end wall which is holding a sort of "finger" border.

We had it curved because it makes getting in and out easier with the car :o)

It all looks very nice but just feels a bit exposed to me because it goes straight out and over the edge.

So I am wanting to plant some sort of low hedge / boundary plants along the front.  I was going to do box but because the end of the wall is curved I thought it'd look stupid just cut off square and the other side would look ridiculous as it's so narrow that the whole width of the border is curved.

Any ideas what to plant along it?  I don't want anything more than a few feet high. 

Have contemplated lavender as it's more naturally rounded but we have a forsythia growing under our window and I'm not really sure I like purple and yellow together?

I was thinking I'd do all yellows/oranges colourwise too?

I also suggested rows of bulbs, short daffs in spring, paperwhites in winter and something else in summer?  OH seems to think they'd all just get blown over though and look rubbish. 

It is south-facing.

Any suggestions?

[tode]

Lavendar' good. Rosemary grows quite fast, and can make more of a bush.
Box  (despite the name    ) doesn't have to be cut square.  Box balls are great.

Where's the pics ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 

[madcat]

I'd go with Lavender for the scent (it doesnt flower at the same time as your forsythia so the yellow / purple thing wouldnt be a problem) but it does need keeping tidy.  Rosemary would also work.  The bees would adore you if you had a rosemary hedge.  Southernwood is also possible - silver with yellow flowers - but like lavender  and rosemary can go leggy if you dont trim them a couple of times a year and it doesnt like being pruned into old wood.  They would all love being on a south facing side and dont mind it getting dry in the summer, which it might with the drop below.

Box is still a good bet.  Elegant green on green.  You can trim it into a matching curve (or any other shape for that matter) and it is immensely forgiving.  But I think it needs some more moisture retention so if it does get v dry you will have to give it a good mulching each year.

Or how about hedging roses? Or variegated burberis?  Or Pyracantha (brilliant yellow orange or yellow or red berries) or japonica?   

[bashful_badger]

Ok think I have managed to do a pic.

You'll have to ignore the shabby house :o)  top half needs painting nice creamy beige colour to go with wall, front door needs painting and garage needs repairing!  Also have no idea why we still have the previous owners sky dish on the wall when we've never had sky :o)

Can't afford everything at once and garden and chooks is taking priority!!

[tode]

Nice house !

Probably get pretty dry behind the stone wall, so lavendar or rosemary good solutions.
I find that rosemary gets leggy faster than lavendar, and the flowers aren't so useful.
Also r'mary gets a bit taller, and IMO best to keep the "hedge" low, to fit with house etc.

What's all this about rain every day ?  Can't see a cloud in the sky    

[tam]

How about Mexican Orange Blossom, we have two different ones. One variety has yellow new grow and looks bright and cheerful even in mid winter (it's an evergreen). You can trim them to whatever size you like, the one in our front garden is about 3.5' and it's 10 yrs ish old.

[Greengirl]

How about Shrubby Cinquefoil (Potentilla)? They aren't evergreen, but there are varieties that have yellow or orange flowers all summer long? If you prefer an evergreen that you can keep to size you could try Euonymus fortunei which is available in either yellow & green variegation, or white & green.  The yellow one's leaves also change to reddish in winter.

[Elaine G]

How about Hebe?
Comes in all shapes and sizes, is evergreen and can be trimmed back if it gets too big.

PS i love them
Elaine

[madcat]

Hebe?  Now there is a good idea.  I had one that coped with living under a Yew in virtual drought and thrived.  Dont know the variety tho' - got it as a cutting.   

Potentillas are tough too ... and mock orange smell gorgeous.  You could go for holly, silver or gold variations (Golden King despite the name is a female variety and has berries).

Spoilt for choice yet? 

[bashful_badger]

I am!  One of my friends suggested chamomile too, think they said it's evergreen and has yellow flowers.  Not sure it's a bit fluffy though!

Some excellent ideas from everyone though, thanks everyone!

[Roll Roll]

Hebe would be my choice as well. It's so easy to take cutting's off, so shouldn't cost much.
Box would be ideal but slow growing.

Lavender when it gets wet can sag rather a lot, so you always seem to get wet just walking past it.

[arugula]

I would like to second (or third) the vote for Hebe. We inherited a couple of straggly little specimens last year which I stuck in gaps in our mixed hedgrerow style hedge, not holding out too much hope. They have come on really strongly this year. A house not far from us has a full hedge of them too and they look splendid when they are flowering, whilst making a fine hedge when they aren't.

[Sue33]

yes, agree with hebes, they're a real do-er, also euyonymous, emerald n' green is a nice shrub, keep it low though as with the hebes, you could always then put bulbs in for that extra bit of colour,  choisya ternata "sundance" is pretty, aucuba japonica (spotted laurel).  All evergreen and hardy plants.................

[Greengirl]

I agree that hebe's are very useful, but don't fit the brief of yellow/orange coloured, hence my original thoughts. Just had another one - how about crocosmia? You can get both yellow & orange flowered varieties.

[bashful_badger]

I agree that hebe's are very useful, but don't fit the brief of yellow/orange coloured, hence my original thoughts. Just had another one - how about crocosmia? You can get both yellow & orange flowered varieties.

Oh I love crocosmia!  Wouldn't have thought to use that though.  It's not evergreen is it?

Not sure about Hebe's, we had one we planted at our old flat in the border and that was lovely but then my friend has some which are a different variety and those are horrible!!  I find it hard as well because they are never in flower when you want to buy them.

Choisya is nice too, that is actually the only plant that is curently on my list as a definite for somewhere in the garden :o)