If you have a front or side door that gets a lot of sun then here are some design ideas – to create that English Garden look to your entrance.

Before you start about thinking about plants why not attach some trellis to the wall either side of your door? This will enable you to grow climbing plants up around the door and will make a delightful English Garden feature

You need to allow about 4 feet (1.25 metres) either side of the door to get the best effect.
If this is new planting then dig the soil over, take out all the weeds and add a generous helping of compost – if your soil is heavy clay then mix in some pea gravel to help it drain.

Here is my selection of English Garden plants that will give your entrance that traditional English garden look.
First plant a climber

• A scented climbing rose – do not use rambling roses as they will grow far too vigorously and you will spend a lot of time fighting to keep it under control!
• Aimee Viber has pure white blooms – grows to about 10 foot and has lovely strongly scented blooms in late summer.
• Kathleen Harrop has pale pink flowers and grows to 8-10 foot with very fragrant blooms that flower all summer.
• Zépherine Drouhin will flower all summer and has beautiful scented deep rose-pink flowers.
• Morning Jewel has bright pink scented flowers and flowers for most of the summer

Second - plant a Summer flowering jasmine ( not a winter flowering one) on the other side.

• Jasminum officinale Clotted Cream has lovely creamy white sweetly scented blooms.
• Jasminum officinale will flower all through the summer with large clusters of brilliant white beautifully fragrant flowers.

Thirdly - Lavender is a traditional English Garden plant and Lavender Angustifolia – Munstead has marvelous purple blue blooms so plant 2 of these bushes in front of each of your climbers. If you prefer a pink variety plant - Lavender Angustifolia Miss Katherine These will create an oasis of scent by your door!

Fourthly you will need 4 plants of Doris an English Garden pink (Dianthus) that is easy to grow and will flower all summer as long as you remember to deadhead it. Plant these beside the lavenders. If you prefer a white Pink then plant 4 Dianthus Mrs Sinkins.

As a last touch plant little traditional scented thyme such as Silver Posie with its variegated silver green leaves and pink flowers or thymus vulgaris with its purple flowers along the side of your pathways – not too close to your pinks as these will grow and spread into nice big clumps but could smother the thyme if planted too close!

October and early November are the best times to plant roses, jasmine, lavender and pinks if they are bare rooted.
However many plants are container grown you can plant them at any time providing of course the ground is not frozen or waterlogged.

In the first year of planting keep an eye on your plants, water them if necessary until they are well established, after that they should be able to cope with a warm dry summer. If in doubt you can mulch around them as this helps to converse the moisture in the ground.

This little book is useful as a quick reference guide when choosing plants for a sunny spot. It also has planting tips.

A Pocket Guide to Sun Loving Perennials

Enjoy your garden!