At first glance, it might seem difficult to plan a flowerbed located on the north face of a house or add flowers to a wall or terrace exposed to the north. In fact, a few tips will allow you to get a flowered landscape all summer long, even a north facing one!
North-facing gardens are exposed to a colder wind. As the earth of these flowerbeds stays humid longer than one in a sunny area, enrich the soil with light compost to prevent long-standing humidity.
Some plants need full sun to thrive, others, much less. The exposure is therefore an important factor to consider when selecting your plants. While some plants can only grow in full sun, you can find a large number of them that can also adapt to a shaded area. Think, for example, of panicled hydrangeas, astilbes, bergenias, perennial geraniums, funkias, tuberous begonias and dead-nettle, all perfectly adapted to this type of location.
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If you go for balcony planters, hanging baskets or potted flowers, you can grow plants with spectacular and ongoing blooms even in a north-facing location. Look for trailing begonias, lobelias, jewelweed, fuchsias, panicled ivy, pansies and Rita’s gold ferns to create amazing and hardy combinations. Be aware that, even though they come in containers, these plants require regular watering.
You can also create a miniature garden that will require very little maintenance, think of slow-growing plants that welcome half shade, for example a succulent plant such as the ficus.
With a bit of know-how and creativity, it is possible to create a flowery green space on a terrace, even one that faces north!
Questions from readers by RONAMAG on Sunday, April 21, 2013
Deco Inspired by RONAMAG on Saturday, April 20, 2013
Decor column by RONAMAG on Sunday, March 31, 2013
