Planting a trough

[Peter Hook]

i am about to place a large wooden trough [10' x 2'] outside on a ledge at the front of my building - on the first floor. this is in an historic square, opposite a 12th century church. watering is no problem as it will be outside large windows. i had thought of not filling the trough itself with earth but use it to contain several different pots. any suggestions - particularly what and when - gratefully received. the thing will be south facing, quite windy close to the east anglian coast - the finest - in the UK. over to you

[shedman]

The world is your oyster really. You want things that are going to take dry conditions so why not go for things like lavender and rosemary, they will provide some fragrance as well, as would things like sweet peas, stocks and nicotina (the older varieties are best) whose perfume could waft back into the house. They will need some support to stop them breaking in the wind. Boxes look good with something trailing from them. Trailing ivy will give you some foliage to go with the flowers, and then there are trailing geraniums (nice and tough), lobellia, snapdragons etc and why not think about some of the small grasses that can be grown in containers and will rustle in the wind. Many of them change colour from spring through to autumn. Hope this gives you some ideas to work on.