Many of us enjoy our gardens, but aren’t so keen on the gardening. This is because we don’t always have the time to do all the weeding, watering and pruning that goes into making an outdoor space look good.

As well as our hard and soft landscaping expertise, Compass Garden and Landscape Design provides a top-quality planting consultancy service for customers in Somerset, Wiltshire and across the south-west of England. Here are some of the best plants to consider for a variety of conditions and climates but which have one common denominator – they are all quite low-maintenance.

For the Scent

Lavender, above, is probably the best bet if you want some fragrance in your garden. Although it’s a native of the Mediterranean, it will do fine in this country provided that you plant it in a sunny area with well-drained soil. During a harsh winter, though, it might be best to plant it in a pot or container and move it indoors.

One big advantage of lavender is that it doesn’t require much in the way of pruning. If scent is what you’re after, Lavandula x intermedia is the best variety to choose.

For the Colour

Hardy geraniums, pictured, are hard to beat if you want some colour in your garden. This is because they can flower for many months on end. You also don’t need to worry about deadheading; just cut them back hard after the initial blooms. They will even do well in shady spots.

They are also good for the eco-system because they attract butterflies (but won’t get eaten by rabbits). Their purples and pinks will brighten up your garden too.

For the Shade

Hostas have long been known as the ‘queen’ of the shady garden. This is because they will tolerate deep shade right through to partly sunny conditions. There are plenty of different varieties to choose from. Most of the foliage will be green, as above, or light blue, but you can get some white flowering varieties. They are excellent for pollinators and will also do well in poorly-draining or wet soil.

For the Sun

As well as lavender, sedum will also do well in hotter and drier conditions – they can be classified as drought-resistant and need very little maintenance. ‘Creeping’ varieties will even do well in partly shaded areas.

They are striking additions to your flower beds, too with their bold foliage, large flower heads and strong stalks. Foliage can be pink, as shown above, rose, purple, blue, or green.

For the Wet

As well as hostas, most hydrangeas will grow well in wet soil, although they still need some sun or light shade. As their name suggests, they need plenty of moisture, so feed them plenty of organic compost and make sure the ground they grow in is well mulched. This will also help to retain moisture as well as suppress any weeds.

The mophead and lace cap hydrangeas, varieties of Hydrangea macrophylla (above), are the best known and offer the widest colour range. Colours can change in the season according to the soil type – pink in alkaline conditions and blue in neutral to acid soil.

Planting Consultancy in Somerset from Compass Garden and Landscape Design

Of course, the plants above are only suggestions, you may have ideas of your own. At Compass Garden and Landscape Design what we will do is visit your garden to discuss your thoughts then draw up a planting plan – whether it’s for a single border, a woodland area or your entire garden.

Our expertise means we can select the right plants for your soil and climactic conditions so that they should do flourish with very little ongoing work required from you. We have excellent contacts in the horticulture industry and will be able to source all the plants at competitive prices and then arrange their delivery and planting.

If you would like to know more, follow this link and send us a message via the online contact form. Alternatively, you can call us on 07920 051549 or email us at office@compassgardendesign.co.uk.