Make the most of the weather

Hello

As well as making the most of the weather & topping up on my tan I want to get round to some serious gardening this weekend.  I have cleared a largish area 30'x40" and would like to put in various pretty spreading flowers with parhaps a few feature plants - has anyone out there got any ideas?  This is my first time on the forum so I look forward to hearing from you.

Happy planting! Susan

Susan, well done on the clearance which is very hard work in itself. Plants are a personal thing, I love Peony's others say they are too short lived and not worth it, they are to me.
Really you need to wander round the garden centres where most plants will be in bloom, not much good for this year but you do see what you are getting a year on they will be settled.
Collect a few packets of seed, cheap and cheerful but read the packet for outside planting, height and spread. Fill an old coke bottle with very dry sand mix in your seed then after raking over a patch of soil make a fancy pattern by slowly releasing the sand as you move the bottle around, water in and wait. You can intermingle seed but make sure you get the smallest to the front.
Not all seed takes, some takes much longer than others so patience is a virtue in gardening.
You will have some show this year but by next year you can see the gaps that need filling, a pencil and note book are always handy in my shed.
Look around the gardens near you to see what grows well and what you would like yourself, as I said it is all a matter of taste.
good Luck Frank.

Hello Frank

Thank you so much for your advice which I will take.  The bottle & dry sand is a true inspiration!

Happy Gardening! Suzie

What sort of soil do you have and what aspect is the recently cleared area?If you want some perrenials with a long flowering season and tough constitution, have a look at the hardy geraniums, they suit most situations and can cover a fair amount of space. You might like the idea of obelisks or canes to grow climbers up to give height in the border too. But as I said, soil type and aspect are both important in your planting choices.