Planting sinks

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Planting sinks and troughs

  1. Make sure your container has drainage holes, free from debris and that the container when filled with water allows this to flow to the drain.  Place a layer of broken pot, stones or crock over the holes and the bottom of the sink to ensure the holes do not block up once the sink is planted.

  2. The planting medium is important when planting alpines, rock plants and other perennials that will be in the container for more than a year.  The recommended mix is John Innes 2 plus grit in proportions 70%-30%.  If you using a multi-purpose peat based compost, ensure it is of good quality and mix 1 part compost, 1 part grit and 1 part fine bark.  A free draining soil is very important.

  3. The plants you choose to mix in your sink should all require the same situation, depending on where you will be placing the sink; shade, sun or semi-shade; sun baked or windy.

  4. Use rocks and stones to give height and structure to your sink, creating a 'mini' landscape.  Use the rocks to give trailing plants a structure to climb over.

  5. Try to use plants that will keep their foliage most of the year and flower for a long time so your sink looks good for a long time.  There are alpines and rock plants that can give a succession of flowers from March to October, then ferns continue to look good into late autumn.

We make sinks and troughs from hypertufa for planting alpines and rock plants.

Planting Suggestions

  1. Use single species to fill the sink eg:

  Sempervivums - there are species with red leaves, green leaves and many combinations.  TheSempervivums effect is colourful and structural and looks good all year round.            

  Rhodohypoxis is a south African bulb which comes in a variety of colours and will flower from April to September.  They can be given the drainage they require in a sink and will quickly fill it.Rhodohypoxis

Erodiums  are mound forming alpines in the geranium family and flower from May to September.  They require a larger trough, but provide colour for a long time.

Some varieties of ferns are suitable for trough planting and can be used if a sink is to placed in shade.Asplenium trichomanes  They combine very well with the many varieties of Heuchera, Heucherella and Tiarella now available.

 

                       

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Rotherview Nursery Ivyhouse Lane, Three Oaks, Hastings TN35 4NP

Tel 01424-756228