Susanna estimates she has 50 to 60 pots in her side return. “Go for a few really big planters or pots; the bigger the better as you can plant big plants and make more of an impact,” says Susanna, who has a couple that are around 1.2m long and 60cm high and 35cm wide (approximately 4’ long and 2’ high and 1’ wide). “You can plant up miniature gardens in them using a mix of evergreens, perennials, and spring bulbs.” Plus, she notes, lots of small pots look fussy and need lots of watering.
3. Design with lots of layers.
Susanna says you should use the same mix of bulbs, shrubs, climbers, perennials, and edibles that you’d find in any garden—even small trees. For example, a couple of years ago, Susanna decided to add some small bare-root spindle trees (Euonymus europaeus) to create a true forest garden.
For climbers, Susanna employed golden hops, Clematis alpina, and a climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris). Her shrubs include Rubus sanguineum (red flowering currant), Sorbaria sorbarifolia ‘Sem’ (Ural false spirea), and Ligustrum ovafolium (also known as Korean or California privet). There are mainly ferns (including those mentioned above) at the bottom of the steps where it’s darkest. (There are also a variety of spring bulbs in the mix not seen here.) Susanna says her current favorite plants are the Persicaria orientalis, Korean celery (Dystaenia takesimana), and what she describes as “a really lovely” Valeriana jatamansi.
4. Make a plan for watering.
Susanna confesses that she’s “slack at watering,” but she does have a tap nearby. With this many pots, you’ll definitely want a hose that can comfortably reach your alley or side return. “It doesn’t get much better than a huge, fat, vintage terracotta pot, but they do dry out faster, and they can crack in winter.”
5. Aim for four-season interest.
“Think about winter, I don’t have lots of evergreen but I do have enough that, along with the grasses and ferns means it still looks nice over that season,” says Susanna, who has a couple of tree fern (Dicksonia antarctica), which she says “give a great canopy.”
6. Keep experimenting.
“Obviously you will struggle to plant a prairie style garden in a dark corridor but there is a lot that will grow in reduced light which you might not think would work,” says Susanna. Move things around, go for different heights and textures, and don’t get discouraged if a plant fails to thrive.
For more shady gardening inspiration, check out Susanna Grant’s book Shade.
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