Plants for chalky soil with white & blue flowers
Plenty of plants, of a variety of shapes, sizes and colours, thrive in the higher pH of chalky soil, so it's possible to create a full and attractive border even in these sometimes challenging conditions
Quick facts
- Chalky or limey soils can benefit from the addition of plenty of organic matter to improve water retention
- Chalky soils drain quickly, even in wet weather, so can be good for Mediterranean plants
- Some plants do their best colours in chalky soil
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The planting plan
This white and blue planting design, provides a range of plants that once established will thrive in chalky or limey soil, while still providing a variety of interest throughout the year. A simple planting plan helps create depth, interest and good coverage in a border.
Choosing plants for chalky soil
The Geranium provides some groundcover and will help prevent erosion of bare soil. The groundcover can also help to reduce soil surface moisture evaporation and suppress weed growth. Additional organic mulching can further improve soil moisture retention and weed suppression.
2 - Persicaria microcephala ‘Red Dragon’ is a herbaceous plant which provides dark purple foliage with a striking silver splash and white flowers in late summer.
3 - Choisya x dewitteana ‘Aztec Pearl’ has evergreen and fragrant bright green leaves with 3-5 slender leaflets. The pink-tinged buds open to clusters of fragrant white flowers in late spring and often repeat in autumn.
4 - Geranium ‘Orion’ forms a spreading mound of deeply-lobed green leaves and has sky-blue flowers with thin purple veins and a white eye, produced through the summer.
5 - Agapanthus ‘Midnight star’ has dark evergreen strap-like leaves and round heads of trumpet-shaped blue flowers with darker blue stripes, in early summer.
6 - Ceanothus ‘Skylark’ is a shrub which has small glossy evergreen leaves and becomes smothered in clusters of deep blue flowers in late spring-early summer.
7 - Thalictricum ‘Black stockings’ is a tall, herbaceous perennial with lacy foliage and upright, near-black stems bearing sprays of fluffy clear purple-pink flowers in summer.
About alkaline, chalky soils
By choosing plants which are well-suited to chalky or limey soils, you can keep your border looking good and growing well because, planted in the right place, plants tend to be stronger and more naturally resistant to pests and disease. Also, once established this will reduce the need for extra fertilisers that less well-adapted plants would need, and fewer inputs such as water
The challenge of growing on chalky soils
Why choose a sustainable planting combination
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