Squeeze plants into crevices
Tuck these little beauties into wall cracks to create a natural look
Got a wall that could do with a spruce up? Why not create a fab feature, with tufts of softening plants embedded into the cracks. Here’s how, plus a selection of the ideal plants for the job!
ASPLENIUM TRICHOMANES
Commonly known as maidenhair spleenwort, this is a fab little feathery fern often seen in rugged walls in the wild, often alongside its hart’s tongue fern cousin, A. scolopendrium. It’s delicate looking but in reality a tough evergreen, and right at home tucked away to naturalise your walls. Buy this compact plant from Long Acre Plants; www.plantsforshade.co.uk.
TOP TIP This lovely fern likes shade or partial shade, needs sharp drainage and much prefers alkaline soil.
ERIGERON KARVINSKIANUS
Mexican fleabane is a reliable source of robust but pretty cover for your walls, and creates a froth of daisy curtains bursting from every crevice. It’ll self-sow of its own accord wherever it can get lots of sun. Try its fellow family member, erigeron ‘Sea Breeze’, with bigger, more vivid pink flowers. Both available from Crocus; www.crocus.co.uk.
TOP TIP Use as part of a wildlife wall, as bees love it, and it’ll love being planted in a coastal se ing.
CAMPANULA COCHLEARIFOLIA
With its neat, pretty cascade of soft blue bellflowers, this campanula species has the simply gorgeous common name of fairy thimbles. It spreads quickly to form a carpet in full sun and teams well with other mat formers. An easy and trouble-free grower. The variety ‘Blue Baby’ is available from Lubera; www.lubera.co.uk.
TOP TIP This plant doesn’t mind semi-shade, so don’t worry about needing to place it in all-day sun.
SAXIFRAGA ARENDSII
Many saxifrages are great wall plants, but this species is widely available, cheap and a really good doer. Given only a little space it’ll just keep on flowering and producing pleasing mounds of foliage. Gently shear off any dead flowers and it’ll rebloom. It comes in whites and pinks so pick a selection. Six plants for £20.97 from RHS Plants; www.rhsplants.co.uk.
TOP TIP If you plan your wall to have flowers right into autumn choose this tough but dainty saxifrage.
ERODIUM VARIABILE ‘BISHOP’S FORM’
Erodiums are tiny alpine geraniums, or storksbills, and will charm you with their demure looks and tidy creeping habit. A lovely little hardy geranium in miniature, which stays compact and tight-leaved, and is no trouble. Unusual as a ‘rock garden’ crevice plant as it flowers all season long. From Dobbies Garden Centres; www.dobbies.com. TOP TIP As long as it has got sun and you give it a light trim, its blooms keep on coming through summer.
SEDUM SPURIUM
A glossy evergreen with wiry tentacles of rounded foliage that will creep down your wall attractively, and has the bonus of bright pinky-red sprays of star flowers all through summer. Try ‘Voodoo’, with purplish leaves, or ‘Tricolor’, with variegated white-green leaves and pink flowers. Pack of six for £6.99 from J Parkers; www.jparkers.co.uk. TOP TIP Want a one-stop shop for bees, bu erflies and hoverflies? This plant is their idea of heaven.