Help me finish this planting- with photos😊

[gluenotsoup]

Hello!
We have been re-doing the garden over the last few years. It’s had everything done- land drains, returfed, paving, raised beds. There is an area behind the garage to be finished. Our neighbours have built an extension, what can I put in a large pot to hide the wall and the wonky downpipe? Ideally it would be evergreen, screen as much of the wall as possible, and not be a climber as I don’t want it to get into their gutters.
In the raised beds- what can I put in to finish? The bay trees are new, there is a water feature, some dandelion solar lights on the summer, if they come back some foxgloves and Japanese anemones, a beautiful red acer (small, and I will put another in, either side of the water feature) and some box balls. I’m aiming for it to look pretty but contemporary and soft.
Under the holly trees- nothing yet. I was wondering about white ground cover roses mixed with something like salvia or Veronica?
Down the length of the garden, I think a couple more smallish trees? Maybe a rowan or crab apple, small flowering cherry or forest pansy?
It all needs pulling together, it’s not at its best at this time of year, but hopefully you see what I mean.
It’s south facing.
Help!! Please and thank you 😊

I think some evergreen grasses could look amazing - and something like vebena bonaseries to give height and waftyness - a bit of movement. It looks lovely.

Oh and maybe some classy tulips and some alliums (though you'll have to wait to plant them).

Thanks, I think I agree with it needing some movement or softness, it’s all a bit rigid looking at the moment, and I’d like it to look a bit more relaxed. I think I’ve focussed a bit on the structure but now the rest needs filling in. The fence needs levelling up a bit where it’s sunk when trees were removed next door, and it needs a treatment on it, I just don’t know what colour.

last year, when i had a lot of bare ground. I sowed a couple of packets of wild flower seed. Just to fill the space and stop weeds. It was incredibly successful and looked beautiful. It was just a one year thing while the perennials got established.

Bamboo! Grows so well in big pots

Actually, I have got some beebombs which I was planning to use at the bottom of the garden where the climbing frame is to fill the gaps. I might see how they get on before getting some more.
I did think about bamboo in a pot to hide the wall- how tall will it grow, and does it go looking a bit dead?

For context, the whole garden is about 160 ft long, the bit where the raised beds are is about 35ft. So, it’s a lot to fill, hence me needing some help. I think repeat groups of plants might work to make it flow better.

I agree with the repeat planting idea. My ideas would be : Carex and Autumn joy is a good all year round interest plants , very easy to propagate too. Stachys are evergreen for summer daisies, Aubrietia over the edge of the sleepers would soften them a bit.

I was going to say bamboo might suit your style, and it makes the loveliest noise in the breeze. There are lots of varieties, so you should find one of the right size.

I'd suggest rock rose (helianthemum) around those bay trees. They spill beautifully, and don't mind a good hair cut to keep them in order.

Gaura is lovely and light and airy, I'd suggest they form part of your planting down the side.

If you can spare some lawn, I'd suggest you bring the side border curving out and back in, to stop the eye racing to the play area at the end. You could have a small tree in it too, a crabapple, or similar, or something frothy like sambucus black lace.

Bamboo is a good idea, but planted in very large pots, otherwise it spreads alarmingly. Leycesteria Formosa is a useful plant, it grows quite high, but can be kept under control buy pruning down each year. Lovely flower bracts and berries.

Thanks for the suggestions, please keep them coming.
Helianthemum looks a good idea, long flowering. We have leycesteria just behind the hollys, it’s nice!
It is a good plan to shape the border out, and I think we will eventually, but for now I need to concentrate on filling the big gaps. There are quite a lot of good plants in already, but winter isn’t the best time really for photos is it? There is some aubretia, hardy geranium and campanula in the sleeper beds if they come back. I’m going to go and look at the grassy suggestions now too.
So, is bamboo one of the best choices for that wall, or is there anything else too?

Hardy geranium rozanne is very pretty, spreads but clambers a bit too has violet/blue flowers all summer.
Bamboo can be quite noisy, flapping in the wind.
YOu can buy small trees like hawthorns different heights so you could order one the correct height to cover the neighbour's wall. Long term in a pot it would prob do ok if you kept it watered and fed.
Most plants flower at one time of the year so it's hard to plant tubs to keep interest over the summer. I have violas (perennial - they were in the garden when we moved in many moons ago) which are in most of my tubs and flower nicely early and well into the summer.
Patio roses are good for repeat flowering though.
I have deutzia and kolkwitzia shrubs in my garden (take cuttings so have quite a few now) which flower beautifully in the summer but don't flower for long which might be why they seem to be out of fashion.
Buddleia grow like weeds if you want quick coverage.