Help me plan my new garden

[drspouse]

It's L shaped and this picture is looking W towards the house, with the bottom of the L behind you. There's also a small bed behind you on the E wall which is the end of the garden.
The gravel between the flags is coming out as the landscapers put down compost/grit as it's going to be a green patio. A few things can be planted in the larger patio spaces too and I'm thinking soft fruit in the bed (that you can't see).
The previous people moved overseas so they left lots of Spiky Tall Plants and planters but honestly I'd prefer a kitchen garden, cottage feel so many of those will go.

We have a narrow garden and we are growing stuff up the fence and over the pergola. We have kids and a dog so need the lawn for trampolines, paddling pools and ball games.

When we moved in it looked very sterile as it was a looonnngg length of fence narrow strip of grass, it looks so much better now with greenery to look at. We also grew strawberries in hanging baskets, grow flowers in wall mounted tubs. This year we are growing herbs in containers. We have a bird feeding station and bug hotels and the garden is alive. Only problem is now I am running out of space!

I'm in two minds about our existing climbing plants. The trellis at the start of the long narrow bit (first photo) has honeysuckle on it, which tends to go wild... and the bed has a wisteria in the back left which, er, tends to go wild.
I love wisteria but I really need to keep it in check! I suppose I could saw it back quite vigorously?
In theory I also love honeysuckle but it just seems to take over everywhere!

Oh can anyone link to the shade growing plants thread?

I haven't seen it. I don't think either clematis Montana, many honeysuckle or wisteria suit small gardens. They get too big. If you want honeysuckle, Americana is lovely and also shorter than many, and gorgeously perfumed.

You can train fruit trees on cordons or espalier too, though easier if you buy them part trained already.

I think great plants for these sorts of gardens include astrantia, Japanese anemones and alchemical mollis. Lilies are best in pots if your soil is clay (which I think it might be, with slugs?).
Day lilies (actually hemerocallis) are nice too. Think about:

Position (sun/shade)
Soil type and suitably for
Which plants for the most impact and year round "furniture " as opposed to "cushions" or trinkets. IYSWIM.
Perfume
Heights of plants and leaf shapes next to each other
Time of year of flowering
Whether you want some evergreen elements or not
Colour scheme.

Ooh and ferns.

I can live without lilies, and getting a smaller honeysuckle might well be good.
I had a smaller wisteria at our old house, and I do LOVE wisteria, but maybe not THIS wisteria?
I can also live without ferns TBH!

A side question - I have some window boxes that have bulbs in - but they are so empty the rest of the time - can I put anything else in them? They are on the E facing windows of the narrow bit.

I need to push the bulbs further down in that case!

I have just discovered a website - Victoriana Nursery - that basically has all the traditional plants that I love including everything I want for my green patio.

This could get expensive.

(PS what easy annuals might I try for an east facing window box in a bit of shade...)

Trailing begonias. Busy Lizzie. Nasturtiums.

Definitely a fan of pansies and violas.

Ulp I've realised I need to order any fruit bushes/trees now!

So in the photo of the bed, I'm thinking one or two blackcurrant bushes, one or two raspberry bushes, and would it be too much to also have a step-over apple tree?
The info on blackcurrants says they don't train well, so I guess if I had those at the ends and tried to plant e.g. runner beans in the middle where the trellis is?
Or just rely on the trellis for my wisteria which is going to be DRASTICALLY REDUCED.

Ooh those look lovely and I bet the DCs will like them.

I have put in an order for seeds from Real Seeds, an order for plants from Victoriana Nurseries and an order for more plants with my DM.

The honeysuckle and wisteria are GONE. Well, ground level.
My fruit plants arrived today (wineberry and blackcurrant) and I'm hoping it holds off on raining enough to plant them. Except we are due a frost... Is this wise?
Also got some smaller plants for the bright cover and I'm going to pop them in the mini greenhouse to warm up a bit. I'm not sure if I need to wait for spring to plant out though.

Not very much but they are in now.
I also planted some little violets in my shady area as they said Hardy and Flowers in March so I thought they will survive. I put my other ground cover plant (periwinkle) in the mini greenhouse and a herb I'm going to put in a hanging planter, in the kitchen, to keep warm.
Now I need to know how much to prune the blackcurrant.

Just discovered the gardening section on MN..didn't realise there was one until now!

@drspouse.. I just love your paving! It's really eye-catching. We moved into a new build house a year ago and we have a blank canvas. So far we have planted a pear tree, 2 shrubs and ...in fact, sorry folks I'm aware I'm taking over this thread..I'll post separately! Good luck with your plans OP. Sorry I can't be of much help..all we have is lawn! I would love a scented "herby path" though! Creeping thyme, lavender, etc.

@BobTheDuvet.. the vertical planter made from pallet is exactly what we are planning.
We got the book 'Grow all you can eat in 10 square feet' (which I highly recommend) from the library and it's in there. We have the pallet already..Just got to get it fixed up and planted!

Ooh do you have a picture of the pallet?

I haven't got a photo sorry. It's tucked behind the shed in a sorry looking state and unworthy of photographing! I'll def send you one when it's all in place and planted.