Jenna Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 I've decided to make a tyre garden. I already have a huge pile of old high performance tyres to start with and am about to start constructing it all tomorrow. It will be a border garden, mostly a single layer but increasing to 2 or sometimes 3 layers in corners (and wider to accommodate the tiers). I'm looking for suggestions on what to plant. The section gets full sunlight almost all day in summer, and the tyres will retain heat well. I am already sprouting sunflowers in the greenhouse, along with white elephant gypsophila, lots of different tomato varieties, chillies and capsicums. I've never had a lot of garden space until now, so flowers haven't been a focus before. I want pickables to put in a vase on the table, bright coloured space fillers, different heights and a few things which will cascade well over the terraced edges of the tyres. Also if possible, a few things which may still look reasonably attractive (or at least not dead lol) through winter Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deno Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 Air Plants? :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 can't beat gerberas for picking flowers some violas would be nice too, because they'll seed everywhere and you'll find them popping up in all the little cracks next year. And you could put some pretty veges in there too, that rainbow silverbeet looks nice. We'll want pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 Cryophytum (ice plants) cascade in a variety of bright colours. I think they are banned to sell now but plenty of people have them in their gardens to get some Arctotis - wide variety of colours, pretty gray leaves aubretia (aka aubrieta or aubrecia) - trailing evergreen with pink or purple flowers lobelia - upright and cascade in variety of colours begonias - flower profusely portulaca (sun plant & drought tolerant) variety of colours. Die off and then self seed everywhere alyssum - hardy white and pink. Self seed like portulaca pansies violets Celosia (cockscomb) - look like flames in red, yellow, orange and pink look through plants in nurseries or Warehouse as labels will tell you what conditions they require. Look for the mass blocks rather than individual plants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 Lobelia cardinalis---then you can break off bits and grow them in your aquarium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenna Posted September 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 you can? cool! I just took the "before" photos now, next job - and its a huge one - is to get out the hoe and even out the section a bit. Unfortunately it has been subjected to many years of doing nothing so the old vegetable plots have grown over and need flattened out and re-lawned. Still, there's my first load of soil already supplied! I've been trying to raise my first season's seeds in the greenhouse - mostly the tomatoes, chillies and capsicums - but the night temps have been a little too cold and there's been no sign of green, so yesterday I brought the seed trays inside and sat them on top of the aquarium. Today they're coming up!! Thanks for the suggestions for plants so far - I'll hopefully be up to buying the plants soon (though i think the yard flattening will take longer than I hope) Will definitely post pics when its worth seeing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 you can still buy ice plants here, so they must be legal to sell still. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jude Posted September 12, 2009 Report Share Posted September 12, 2009 campanula is nice. Its low growing with purple flowers, it will spill over the edges of the tyres and it stays green in winter. It doesn't get out of control like some ground covers do. as someone else said, violas and pansies will self seed and pop up all over the place giving bright splashes of colour. coreopsis is lovely. Its tall and bright yellow. The double varieties are especially nice and it likes hot and dry conditions. DON'T plant forget me nots unless you want to spend the rest of your life weeding them out Spring bulbs would be nice but its too late to plant them now - maybe leave some space for planting them in autumn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenna Posted September 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2009 i want a rotary hoe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted September 12, 2009 Report Share Posted September 12, 2009 Hire one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkfur Posted September 12, 2009 Report Share Posted September 12, 2009 if you want something decorative and edible, silverbeet "bright lights" grows well for us in tyres and keeps looking good all year round. Beetroot and curly lettuces can also be pretty and carrots have nice foliage. Basil will look nice especially if you choose coloured varieties such as dark opal. I think Yates sells a mixed basil seed. Its a good companion for your tomatoes both in the garden and in the pot. It attracts bees and repels flies. Herbs would be way up on my list as they mostly like sun and warmth and are useful and attractive. Some herbs worthy of consideration would be marjoram, oregano and thyme, all cascade, love warmth and are available in several leaf colours. Thyme comes in different flavours too like lemon thyme and pizza thyme. Curry plant will like the sun, smells fantastic and has pretty silver foliage. Rosemary looks great all year round and you can choose from upright or prostrate, blue flowers or white or pink. Lovage is a herb not many people grow but its fantastic, some people call it "maggi herb" as it tastes sort of like vegetable stock - mixture of parsley, celery and a dash of je ne sais quoi. If your tyres retain moisture well you can grow mints and horseradish and parsley, all of these it is a good idea to confine anyway as they are invasive. If you get migraines, feverfew is for you, if not pyrethrum. Both repel insect nasties. As far as flowers, apart from those mentioned already, convulvulus mauritanica has gorgeous blue/purple flowers and is tough enough that councils use it. Convulvulus cneorum also, white flowers with pink veins and silvery leaves. Cosmos and stocks are good pickables and easy to grow. The smaller cistuses look good all year and smell nice. If you have a not-dry spot, daphne will flower for you at a time of year when virtually nothing else does and there is a prostrate form but you may have to look hard to find one. There are low growing sweetpeas that you don't stake that will cascade for you and be good for picking. They are normally sold under the name "Bijou". Felicia has sky blue flowers and will form a low mound cascading over. Osteospermum is easy to grow and available in some great colours, "buttermilk" is a very pretty soft cream-yellow, there is also a cool terracotta coloured one. Right, I'll stop writing a book for you, all of my garden centre training came to the fore then. You might need a few more tyres... best of luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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