Border advice please

[Sonnet]

I am a little ignorant about gardening so would love some advice as to what I can plant in front of a wide border that has a backdrop of shrubs. The front of it is bare and I am spending all summer weeding it!

It is a little shady in places

I aslo have another area - backdrop is a 7foot high stone wall and this is a narrow border in front. I successfully planted wallflowers and spring bulbs and it looked fab but again now just a perfect place for weeds

Any ideas gratefully received

TIA

What directions are these borders facing? You say a little shady for the first one, but is that because of trees or sun direction?

Heucheras might be good there, for one idea. The shrubs could be taking a lot of water, so maybe think about some things which can cope with very dry soil. Tallish summer bulbs could be good against the shrub backdrop - crocosmia, iris. Maybe think of the south african plants in general.

Narrow border in front of stone wall shouts clematis to me, or espalier fruit trees. Depending on direction it faces of course, but I'm assuming sunny. At the base I would put bushy lavender or other smelly things - rosemary, oregano, and maybe some delicate flowers wafting above them - thalictrum, gaura, cosmos.

Have a look on the RHS plant selector and put in what type of soil and sun you have for more ideas.

Also forgot to say, if the wall is north facing, wisteria or lilac will be a good idea, depending on how much time you have to train and prune in the case of wisteria. :)