The bed on this page is one in a large planting design project for a client near Plymouth and is the kind of commission of which garden designers, or planting designers, dream. As you can see from the photo below the situation is nothing short of spectacular. But, unfortunately, along with the view comes the almost constant wind and the salt it carries.

The bed featured is aongside the path leading to the front door. It is therefore very important, like all front garden designs, that it creates a favourable first impression on visitors and welcomes the client home everyday. Apart from being presentable at all times of the year, its design has to be able to lift the spirits even in the depths of winter.

In some parts of this bed the soil is only six centimetres deep over rock. The slope is around 45 degrees and while the top of the bed is usually in full sun the bottom of the slope is in shade. It is therefore very dry at the top of the slope and sometimes extremely damp at the bottom. To top it all the soil is only a couple of inches deep in some places.

The planting plan had to cope with all these dificulties at the same time as reflecting the client's desire for as much colour and interest as possible throughout the year.