Please help me renovate this border

[Stringervest]

I am on maternity leave and hoping to renovate this border over the winter.

It is south facing, but most of the shrubs are non-flowering evergreens.

The soil is non clay and acidic. The only problem is that there is a huge beech tree in next door's garden and the border is under the canopy which reduces soil moisture. I'm happy to feed and water shrubs as needed.

I'd like to replace the euonymus and the conifer-looking thing first. I'd like tall shrubs which make the most of the south facing position - ie colour and interest.

Can anyone help me with some ideas please?

Add lots of compost and well rotted manure in. It's a shame the path is there as if the border was wider you'd have more options. Gardener's world about a month ago showed a very similar situation and came up with a whole planting scheme to make the most of a narrow border against a wall. There was some climbers and some lovely shrubs....

It's this one - Adam Frost planting against a wall www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000lq2b

Thanks, this is invaluable!

The path can definitely go, we inherited it and it's not needed, but we should probably turf it to give the kids more space.

Are you able to make the back fence panels match? At the moment the evergreens hide them nicely.

I’d also go with the rule of 1/3 evergreen. Maybe trim the existing ones back and put tall perennials in front and around them. I’d be wary of removing too many and having no winter structure.

Thank @peakotter yes I am. I was waiting to cut down the bushes to paint that panel but if I'm not doing it then I'll squeeze behind to do it.

I watched the Gardeners World that @GolightlyMrsGolightly recommended. It suggested Korean mint and a type of large Iris. Are there any perennials you'd recommend? I don't have much experience of perennials.

To the right of the camellias there is a huge ivy root which I need to kill and somehow remove and a scraggly buddleja. I'd like to put a flagpole cherry there but it's right under the beech tree. It'll get plenty of sun but, even assuming I'm able to dig a deep enough hole without hitting a tree root I'm not sure it'll work. The house behind has trees growing in similar proximity to the beech but they are more established.

www.rhs.org.uk/plants/search-form

I’ve used this tool a lot over the summer. Maybe try something like a new dawn rose which gives a long season of colour and would help to hide that corrugated roof, then try drought tolerant plants underneath because of the neighbours tree.

Ps don’t overdo it if you’re on mat leave, the buddliea will not go easily you have to get the root.

Buddleia are tough ime and grow in dry places - is it worth chopping it to the ground and letting it sprout back. They are usually fast growing.
Deutzia have pretty pink flowers in early summer and grow fast. Tall stems a bit weepy.
Lavender and rosemary are ok in dryish places imv.
Hardy geraniums do too.
The manure and mulching will reduce the drying out rate.

I wouldn't attempt to remove that euonymus if I wasn't pregnant . it could have a v deep root if the soil is dry.

The previous owners of our house trained the euonymus into lollipops.
They look cute and aren't difficult to keep in shape.
Are you able to do that to yours to allow you to under plant?

How about a hibiscus as a shrub, and maybe for a climber you could try a passion flower?

Thank you, these ideas are all so helpful and very much appreciated. I'm going to sit down and write a plan, but your comments on needing some evergreen for structure are noted. I'm glad I asked.

Oh, and don't worry - I'm not pregnant. I had my son 6 months ago so I'm ready to do some hard digging. But I might asked DH to do it anyway!