GARDEN DESIGN
Blechnum spicant is an evergreen fern with dark green leathery fronds reaching a height of only 45cm and is another good choice for shaded areas .
Polystichum are also a group of hardy native ferns that cover a wide range of frond shape and heights .
Grasses Options . Grass choices for acidic soils again cover a range of heights from a ground hugging Carex to tall majestic Miscanthus with a few options in between . become stronger pink in colour in the colder months . Easy to clip into shape and drought tolerant once established .
Shrub Options . For a long flowering season and glossy evergreen foliage Abelia is an excellent option . Equally happy planted in large swathes on commercial projects or as informal plants in domestic gardens . Once established Abelia will flower from June through to September in profusion and are drought tolerant too .
For something a little out of this world and early colour Edgeworthia will produce a burst of alien looking scented flowers early in the spring .
More commonly found but still vastly under-used are Crinodendron with large lantern shaped flowers that droop down in clusters . Reaching up to 2.5m in height Crinodendron are a great option for a backdrop plant .
Climbing Plant Options . Covering the walls , trellis , pergola or any upright structure when planting in ericaceous soil gives more options than you may think .
Akebia quinate and the Cream Form will provide semi-evergreen 5 lobed leaves with clusters of flowers . Straight Akebia quinate smells of chocolate while the Cream Form smells of vanilla . Perfect for use in any eating establishments !
If something more tropical is what is needed then Campsis will happily produce large trumpet shaped flowers of orange to scarlet to yellow , dependent on variety towards the end of the summer and into autumn .
Herbaceous Plant Options . Agapanthus may not be the first choice to come to mind when selecting plants for acidic soils but they are surprisingly tolerant and will happily produce flowers in late summer . With a huge array of flowering heights and colours there is bound to be an Agapanthus choice that suits your scheme .
For willowing waving beds of interest in the autumn Anemone will happily thrive in an acidic soil and fill the late summer and autumnal days with plenty of tall flowers on elegant stems .
For something smaller and robust with winter colour Bergenia will fit the bill hugging the ground with leathery leaves that will thrive in shade .
Fern Options . Ferns for acidic soil cover a spectrum of heights , frond colour and both evergreen and deciduous providing interest in many areas .
There is no doubting the drama of Osmunda regalis uncurling its giant acid green fronds in the spring . It is also a useful plant choice for wet soils .
Carex provides all year-round interest with arching habits . Ranging in foliage colour from steely blue to broadly striped cream or yellow margined leaves they are a great choice for front of border .
Miscanthus on the other hand are tall , handsome and rather upright in habit and provide much appreciated height and silver or russet coloured flower plumes in the late autumn .
As soil is always the deciding factor in plant choice and always should be to avoid plant stress and allow plants to thrive , selecting plants according to the soil is the automatic starting point .
The list of plants above for acidic soil is not exhaustive with many other options available . Check out our Resources page on Provender Nurseries ’ website for other factsheets to cover other common issues .
www . provendernurseries . co . uk / resources / general-factsheets
www . provendernurseries . co . uk
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