As part of a backyard renovation I've end up with this area here that I would like to plant something. Its around 1200mm x 900mm and 2500mm to the drain at the top. I'd say its part shade area. I'm in Melbourne
Ideally it would be something that has multi toned foliage and I would prefer something that is consistently nice year round as opposed to something blooms once a year. I dont mind doing some pruning/cutting.
I'd really appreciate any help from you great people. Thanks
by dat89
20 Comments
You shouldn’t plant a TREE there, it will cause issues. How about a big beautiful urn with a rain chain, or a water feature, or a lush cycad in a gorgeous pot?
A Camelia would look great and flower from late winter into spring and stays green all around the year. Easy to maintain and tidy with little leaves droppings to clean up. 🙂
Depends what’s under the decking. If it’s more soil, then you could get away with a small tree if it’s got a fine fibrous root systems. Something like one of the smaller Japanese maple varieties.
Or you can do a medium sized shurb. Pieres (I like mountain fire), rhododendron, or azalea.
Anything size and shade suitable.
Japanese maple with burgundy feathery leaves.
Banksia integrifolia
A little gem magnolia.
Stunning flowers, incredible leaves and small frame perfect for this size area. Great flower stems for vase cuttings as well.
Silver dollar eucalyptus
Ficus hillii
Japanese Maple
Waterfall water feature with some succulents/ grasses around it.
are the wall mounted plants real?
If so, can you tell me how you did that and what plants are thriving?
Gardener here. Don’t plant an actual tree here, it’ll never be super healthy unless you really know what you’re doing. Better to have a healthy plant, than something that will outgrow the space.
_Fatsia japonica_ could work, or a variegated _Ficus elastica_ would give you the multi tone foliage.
maple in a pot
A yucca would be great there in ground
A water feature: fountain
Plant a vine. Anything else will cause major issues with root damage. Go to a local trained professional gardener.
Dicksonia antarctica – Native Tree Fern would make a lovely feature plant there. Redirect some water into it, underplant with low ferns and grasses. And get rid of the plastic plants…
You can also put root barrier in to help control whatever you do end up choosing.
Nandina will look nice across the seasons and not become a problem.
Clumping bamboo would be easy to maintain in a narrow space.