Foolproof Plants

OK I know it's asking for trouble saying this. If you can't grow these though (assuming you're not too beastly to them), then all that is left is cress on blotting paper or mold in the fridge. I've seen all of them thriving in all sorts of places on awful soils, the only thing to look out for is water-logged soils, where most plants struggle. If the plant is described as "drought tolerant", then don't bother trying it in these conditions. Plants for waterlogged soils.

P - Perennial    S - Shrub

    Alchemilla mollis - Ladies mantle*. P

A clump forming perennial with softly hairy pale green leaves that hold drops of water beautifully after rain. Unusual tiny greenish yellow flowers borne in great quantity from early summer to early autumn. Excellent ground cover and good for cut flowers. Drought-tolerant. Very easily raised from seed. Zones: 3-10S/3-9W

(*Something to do with firming of the bosom apparently, though what you do to achieve the supposed effect I don't know).

    Cotoneaster spp.* S

A largish group of shrubs of various habit from prostrate ground cover to tall arching tree-like species. Some deciduous and some evergreen. Pretty tough as a group and withstand dry conditions (once-established). Most have white or pinkish-white flowers in spring followed by autumn / winter berries the colors of which vary in different species.

C. horizontalis - I tend to regard this one as a bit dull but worthy, but maybe I just don't know better. OK as a odd one in a mixed display, but rather over-planted by housing developers on new estates. Low-growing, deciduous, millions of red autumn berries, herringbone pattern to the branches, to 3ft tall. Can be successfully grown upwards as a wall shrub.

C. lacteus - vigorous evergreen to 12ft, dense foliage so good as a hedge, red berries.

C. rothschildianus - vigorous evergreen to 15ft, a good inclusion to a mixed hedge. Slightly unusual but very attractive golden yellow berries.

*abbreviation of species (plural).

    Geraniums - hardy species - Crane's bill*  P

These are not the red and pink half-hardy summer flowering plants that have metallic smelling foliage frequently referred to as geraniums, those are called Pelargoniums.

Hardy geraniums differ in that they are first of all, hardy, and generally have flowers in shades of pink and blue that are borne in small groups. They are also some of the prettiest and most useful additions to the  garden.

There are dozens of varieties, and are one of the types of plant that some people go barmy over and fill their garden with hundreds of different types of the one plant. They're good as ground cover with several species rooting as they go.

G. grandiflorum alpinum - very pretty mid-blue flowers to about 12"

G. phaeum - Mourning widow. - Lilac to purple, not the most spectacular flowers in the world but the bees certainly appreciate them. Tolerate deep shade like little else will. To about 24".

G. macrorrhizum - pink-purple flowers in a variety of named forms, all good.

*when the petals fall off the flowers, the remaining seed pod resembles a crane's bill (and head).

more on hardy Geraniums

    Photinia x fraseri "Red Robin"  S

An upright foliage shrub, evergreen, with bright red new foliage at ends of shoots in spring. Leaves remain red for a considerable time turning green as they age. Best color obtained in full sun. Can be used for hedging, though pattern of colored foliage is lost rather when the hedge is clipped. Not for the most exposed conditions.

    Prunus laurocerasus - Cherry laurel  S

Large dense, bushy evergreen shrub. Long glossy leaves to about 6" long, dark green above, lighter below. Fragrant white flowers produced in spring. With the (quite deserved) decline of x Cupressocyparis lleylandii as a hedging plant, laurels should be the ideal replacement. They are dense and fast growing, but respond better to trimming and don't just proceed skywards indefinitely.

 Whereas conifers rarely if ever grow from brown wood, even old established laurels will respond to a severe pruning by producing fresh green growth from mature brown wood that hasn't seen direct sunlight for years. Within a year or so, you will be rewarded with a new curtain of attractive foliage. Don't trim with shears though, the large leaves don't look good when they start to turn brown at the edges after being chopped through. A smaller variety "Otto Luyken" grows to about 3ft tall and wide and is suitable for inclusion in a border.

Tough and hardy, a single plant may be grown as an informal wind-break or at the back of a large border where the dark green leaves set off other foliage and flowers admirably.

    Saxifraga x urbium - London Pride   P

Rosette forming vigorous evergreen ground cover plant about 3" high. White flower panicles flushed with pink to about 10" in summer. Spreads reliably even in poor soils, needs some shade.