Please help me design my garden!

[Megmargs]

I’m finding my garden rather uninspiring at the moment. It’s pretty much a square of grass, and a rectangle of patio which isn’t looking its best.

I’d like to get rid of the grass and replace with some beds, perhaps with creeping thyme paths between. I also don’t really need the huge expanse of patio as tend not to sit outside much.

Does anybody want to scribble on some interesting shaped flower beds? I like curves but I feel like I’m blinkered by what’s already there.

I’ve attached some pictures - east is pretty much top left corner and west is bottom right corner as you look at the photos, so the right side where the patio is is shady for most of the day. Access to the garden is at the bottom right.

I’d also like something tall to block the fence/view to neighbour’s garden in the top right corner but already have lots of bamboo so should probably steer clear of getting any more 😂

Also for July there really isn’t a whole lot of colour going on, so any suggestions of long flowering, hardy plants would be appreciated. I don’t tend to plant things that only last the year.

Thanks for taking the time to read this far!

Measure it out roughly and draw it on some squared paper, then mark on all the things that need to stay where they are.

Make a list of things that you'd like or need - washing line, bin storage, seating area, barbecue, herb bed etc and then see where they might fit in to what you already have.

Then think about where any solid paths would need to go from and to. They can meander around a bit, but not too much otherwise it can be a nuisance.

If you want to draw your attention away from neighbouring properties, then you need a focal point that your eye is drawn to. A seat, bird table, statue, large pot, that sort of thing.

Start thinking in curves or circles. If you do it on paper then you can ignore where the patio and grass is now.