What can I grow here?

[Groovytiger]

I am trying to get more into gardening but don't know much about it. Recently weeded and cleared up a bit at the front of the house which is North facing. I'd love to grow something colourful that grows happily and is not too needy. I love the look of hydrangeas but not sure how low or high maintenance they are. Would love to hear of any suggestions of what to grow.

Hi from the picture it looks fairly open so as long as there isn't a big building it is in the shadow of, I don't think the North facing will be a big issue.

Roses are super tough and some suit shady sites. Marigolds are small but lovely and bright and self seed. Tulips good for spring colour. I like salvias eg. Salvia bumble or hotlips, both grow to a bush and flower all summer.

Hydrangeas need plenty of water until bedded in. I've managed to kill three.

I’d get some winter jasmine and some honeysuckle for the fence, and possibly a couple of roses too.

Something with berries to tumble over the wall in the corner by the stairs.
If you haven’t already got them, some groups of snowdrops and groups of crocuses along the wall would be nice for early spring colour.

If you want to keep to low plants in front of the twisting conifer, I’d put some hostas there, for the interesting leaf shapes.

What is the huge bare bush beside the steps? And the bare (cut down?) bush just in front of the twisted conifer?

Thanks for your suggestions. I'll start looking them up. @AdaColeman I'll need to ask my neighbour what the tree is. It does look pretty in the summer, sort of a yellow colour. In front of the twisting conifer is the cut-down bamboo bush. It was going absolutely wild but apparently it is very difficult to pull out the roots so we chopped it back as far as we could. When you say about growing things along the wall, do you mean on this side of it? There is a road on the other side of it so I wouldn't be able to grow anything there.

I’ve inherited a hydrangea and it is impossible to kill, so I’d say once you’ve got one established they are like Lazarus. I want rid of it because it’s huge and blue and I want the space for other stuff. Last year I cut it back by half. This involved a pruning saw and woody bits as thick as my arms. I swear it LIKED it. It’s bigger than ever.

So maybe get one (in a colour you like, and planted in the spot you want it 🤣) and nurture it for a couple of years in the knowledge you will have an absolute immortal beast on your hands once it’s settled.

By along the wall, I mean between the bushes towards the front of the border, along that little ornamental brick wall. The winter jasmine etc would go on your side of the fence.

I’d dig out as much of the bamboo as possible and use the space for a small magnolia tree.

I’d put a hydrangea in, they are easy, hold dead flower heads over winter and will give you colour. Also next November/December plant lots of bulbs.

I'd be sticking hellebores in any shadier (e.g. under trees etc) spots there. Stick up in with a load of manure/compost and they will happily grow and spread each year. Brining much needed colour in winter and early spring....

How about a camellia? They're in the garden centres and coming into flower soon.

I am in Scotland and these plants are as tough as anything and the rabbits etc don't eat them - perennial geraniums, they would tumble nicely over the wall, come in blue, mauve, pink, or white.
The picture is rozanne and flowers all summer, I have a pink one I think is Wargrave pink and it flowers all summer too, some of them don't though. I have loads of them and spread well.