Large void of clay soil!!

[beepbeep]

have an area approx 3m by 1.5m under the window at the front of our hour, it is north facing though does get sun and is quite heavy soil. I have planted a climbing rose & a clematis at the back to go up the wall, but am wanting some some plants to fill the rest. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing and find the mass of bare soil staring at me quite daunting!!

I'd like something to look cottage garden but really not sure what to put in it and how to go about planting it (i.e. what goes where) any pointers or suggested would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

If it's north facing a climbing hydrangea might be a good bet, roses tend to prefer sun. I'd also dig in as much compost as you can and the google 'plants for shade' as north facing lots of plants will struggle.

This sounds exactly like my front garden. I have:

Magnolia stellata (it's a small variety)
Foxgloves
Omphalodes cappadocica
Aconitum
Deutzia
Geranium 'Johnson's Blue'
Crocosmia (only because they were there already and I can't get rid of them)
Hellebores

I'd get stuck in with lightening the soil, too, if poss. It's an ongoing project, year on year. My soil is a bit like that- the builders, 12 years ago, deposited top-soil on a clay sump. A 6 to 8" dig reveals material you could easily fashion pots out of!

The good thing is clay is water retentive (good suggestions for damp liking and shade tolerating already given by pear) and fertile.