Plants for Gravel Gardens

Self sowers of Moon Daisy with miscanthus, iris and Salvias

We were delighted that Homebuilding & Renovating have recently quoted Austin Design Works in their piece about gravel gardens and driveways.

Rachael Austin gives her top tips:

Consider a gravel garden in the same way as you would any other; look at where there is sun and where there is shade and choose your plants accordingly.  In our own little gravel garden about the size of a parking bay we have both woodland style planting and Mediterranean style planting.

In hot, sunny areas we have found the following work well; planted through a membrane – no irrigation:

Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)
Bearded Iris (Iris germanica)
Yarrow (Achillia)
Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)

Self sowers into gravel; (perfect for gravel driveways)

Mexican Fleabane (Erigeron karvinskianus)
Moon Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
Fox and cubs (Pilosella aurantica)

Shady areas; 

Ornamental grasses and ferns:

Miscanthus sinensis varieties Red Chief
Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra – all gold)
Japanese Painted Fern (Athyrium niponicum pictum metallicum)
Evergreen Fern (Cryptomium fortune)
Japanese Anemone (Anemone hupehensis)

Archillia Paprika

Hakonechlea ‘All Gold’, ferns and Miscanthus ‘Red Chief’ and Anenome hupehensis with Amelanchier canadensis small tree providing the height.