Help please with awful corner of garden (photo)

[gardenhelpneeded]

so we have a tumbledown greenhouse which we will have to replace at some point but I'm quite fond of it. We have an old house and an old walled garden. It’s quite a cottage garden style but there are lots of trees so this area is partly shaded in the summer. At the moment there are some pots with herbs in - looks bad though and miles away from the house so easily got rid of. To the right of the greenhouse is a white hydrangea and a flowering current. I'd like to make more of the paving to the greenhouse as I love paths. But its shady so hard to know what will work- I saw creeping mint which sounded an option. At the moment there are some foxgloves in front of the greenhouse and I have some bulbs in there but they're being smothered by the foxgloves. I was thinking maybe some nepeta in front? I think I need a bit of impact rather than little bits here and there.

Thanks so much!

If it is shady then perhaps several different types of ferns would be nice. Or how about hostas?

Agree about the pots - can you rearrange them somehow and maybe stand them all on one gravelled area?

The stone walls are beautiful - I'd choose a shade tolerant clematis or climbing rose to provide some height. You could do herbs - something like mint would be extremely low maintenance and abundant.

Thank you. I’m thinking maybe just get rid of the pots and plant some spring bulbs. I’ve loads of snowdrops elsewhere that I can split up. To the left is normally really colourful with the currant and hydrangea but it’s been cut back hard. You can see how far the hydrangea comes out normally by the bald grass! A shade loving climber is a good idea. I’ll look into that. I do have a herb garden and a raised bed to the right but it’s getting more and more shaded as the tree canopy expands! Maybe need to get some thinning done. Any thoughts in the area directly in front of the greenhouse and the little path?

How about some Crainsbill Geraniums? There’s lots of different types and they do well in partial shade. Some flower early and others well into the Autumn. Very east to look after, as well.

Oh lovely!

I think you could consider thinning out the foxgloves, I have just dug out and rehomed some which were a bit big for their spot.

The pots are very wonky, and would benefit from being put straight and on a level surface so they look deliberate.

The stuff inside the greenhouse is also very wonky and it would jar less if it were straighter, or put into a box.

I would get the pots out, and generally tidy, and then think again. Consider whether the foxgloves could be thinned. They are so lovely, though, and this isn't the best time of year to judge them!

Definitely consider geraniums.

Does nepeta like shade? I thought it's more a sun lover?

Tiarella might be happy there, too.

Thank you. Yes the whole area needs a proper tidy. I will get onto it this weekend. I’m wondering about a rose on that back wall but there may not be enough sun. We have a David Austin voucher. Nepeta may need full sun. It seems incredibly hardy elsewhere in the garden though. You can get different varieties. I like the overblown untidy look! Previously I’ve had lavender there and silver thyme but I think I need more impact as wee things just get lost.

There are rose climbers that do OK in partial shade, but I think dryness can be an issue, so too near the tree may be an issue.

A rose would be lovely on that wall, though.

Tiarella and pulmaria have interesting leaves when not in flower. Heucheras would be an impact if you get silver gumdrop. A nice clematis would look good too.