Can you help me recreate this?

[GinGeum]

I'm unsure whether it's okay to almost copy a garden, but I drive past a house a lot that makes me swoon after it every time. Through all seasons, it looks lovely. I would really like to create my own version, but I think I'm going to need some help!

The area I want to do it is in shade for most of the day, although with a bit of sun towards the end of the day. I'm not too worried about blocking the light through the windows, as both rooms have other windows facing different directions, and actually not a lot of light comes from this side as it's north facing. That being said, I wouldn't want a great big tree blocking the view directly out of the window, though. I also probably wouldn't have the borders raised up.

I've attached some pictures of the gorgeous house, and will add pictures of our house in the next comment.

Do you think I could do a similar version? Please help!

This is the area of our garden I'd like to do it. The shrubs and clematis are all being removed in around November time probably.

Oh, also, I'm not expecting to recreate the wisteria - it's too shady and I'd probably be dead before it flowered if I started growing it now!

I'm afraid I'm a gardening newbie and can't see the plants well enough to identify. It's looks like they've a load of perennial evergreens of various colours-greens and reds- and some lavender. Is your garden north west facing? I'd look up on the rhs website or crocus for shrubs that suit that position. It looks like they've got a lot of plants too so you don't want the plants too sparse

They do have a lot of plants, don't they!

I think the trees framing the door are Photinia Red Robin, and they've also used bamboo to screen their windows from the road which I wouldn't do. (Not visible from road)

Are there any lovely grasses that anyone could recommend? I also think I'd like an acer and perhaps an ornamental plum tree on the sunnier end. It's finding lovely evergreen plants I'm struggling with.

I wouldn't remove any of your shrubs because they give you a head start on the lush foliage effect that you're aiming for. If it were me, I'd take up the grass (probably in sections), add compost, and plant evergreens of different colours and leaf shapes to get the effect you're aiming for.

We are definitely getting rid of the shrub on the right hand side - it is so vigorous, we have it everywhere in the garden, and it's blocking the gas meter! I might keep the one on the left though - that's fairly slow growing and I quite like it.

Suggestions of evergreen plants would be helpful if you can think of any?

It looks like they've got Photina ( red robin), lavender and some hebes.
Hebes are great, they come in a variety of sizes and shades of leaf, with white to deep purple flowers. They also flower at different times throughout the year.
I would also suggest a small, blue grey, slow growing spruce for interest. Some varieties are no higher than 30 cms and grow very slowly.

Just thought, Osmanthus is a lovely evergreen shrub with little white flowers on in spring that smell wonderful.

Thanks JT05 - we have some hebes elsewhere and I love them, so I will definitely get some more.

Osmanthus looks lovely too.

I'm glad I was right about the Photinia - I'm getting better slowly at plant recognition!