Plants for gate pillars advice

strandroad

My gate pillar capstones need to be replaced and I am thinking that I might want to get rid and use the pillars as containers. There is enough space for a good layer of soil inside. If I could plant something to form a nice low mound, possibly trailing down a bit, ideally evergreen or at least presentable in winter, the effect could be really nice and soften the look of the gate a bit too. Would something like aubrieta work? Anything nice to pair it with?

macraignil

strandroad wrote: »

My gate pillar capstones need to be replaced and I am thinking that I might want to get rid and use the pillars as containers. There is enough space for a good layer of soil inside. If I could plant something to form a nice low mound, possibly trailing down a bit, ideally evergreen or at least presentable in winter, the effect could be really nice and soften the look of the gate a bit too. Would something like aubrieta work? Anything nice to pair it with?

There is a view of my own gate pillar planting at the start of this video I posted. The pillar itself is just thrown together from stone left over when the builder of the house had some stone not used from the finish of part of the front of the house. There is no mortar used so drainage is not a problem and it could be important that the space in your own pillar would not fill up with water and drown what you might plant there. I have a low growing variety of campanula planted there and it seems to be evergreen and produces flowers in the summer and autumn and would match what you are asking about. I have also planted there a low growing variety of stone crop (or sedum) that is also visible and produces some nice flowers in summer and looks interesting at other times as well. There is also some euphorbia planted in them that is flowering at the moment and looks interesting and some ivy that you can't really see in the video clip. The aubreita should also do well in this type of situation and would be a good choice in my opinion.

looksee

I would not recommend aubretia as, while it is lovely in flower this is a reasonably short early summer plant and for the rest of the year it looks pretty dismal. The very common campanula would be good though, it will grow in spite of anything and is very attractive for a long spell of the summer. Also some of the sedums and sempervivums - some look better in winter than others so maybe have a look round now and see what looks good.

macraignil

strandroad wrote: »

My gate pillar capstones need to be replaced and I am thinking that I might want to get rid and use the pillars as containers. There is enough space for a good layer of soil inside. If I could plant something to form a nice low mound, possibly trailing down a bit, ideally evergreen or at least presentable in winter, the effect could be really nice and soften the look of the gate a bit too. Would something like aubrieta work? Anything nice to pair it with?

Posted an updated video of the current appearance of my own gate pillar planting here if it is any help deciding what looks good. The campanula has nice bell shaped blue flowers in the summer.

strandroad

Thank you all! I will plant campanula with some stone crops to see what sticks best.