What can I plant here

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Im looking for ideas of what to plant in my very small front garden.

It's North facing and Basically a rectangle of space on each side at the front of my house.

We have some Laurel bushes that have survived last years snow, but everything else died.

It's all looking a bit sad.

I believe the soil is well draining clay. Even though we're North facing we do get some small light in the day.

I'd like to buy some plants and perhaps some wood chips this week to tidy it up a bit. Curb appeal is currently zero!

Any suggestions great appreciated x

This is an example of our house. We have the little wall too so that also makes me unsure of what to do with the space

I think you need some tall wafty shrubs to soften the look of the house. Philadelphus would work and smells beautiful. Hydrangeas are good in shade; an oak leaf variety would be nice. It depends how much space you’ve got between the house and wall though - tricky to tell from the photo.

As it’s the front of your house you also need evergreens so there’s some winter interest. Sarcococca is great and has the added bonus of gorgeously scented winter flowers. An autumn flowering Camellia sasanqua would also extend the season.

Then I’d add some perennials in between that are tall enough to grow above wall height. Aquilegia, Camassia, Astrantia (some varieties are taller than others), Geranium phaeum.

I've got an area like that that I am planting up with Japanese plants. Japanese maples, camellias, rhododendrons, ferns, grasses, hydrangeas.

There is no such thing as well draining clay. We have a border beside our bungalow,north facing,gets a little sun midday, when it comes over the fence. It's planted with hosta, aquilegia, Fatsia japonica,lilly of the valley,arum lilly.primulas,both candle stick,and drumstick, blue Bells, pulmonaria,ferns, honeysuckle It has a slope to a drain, HOWEVER, it was permanently waterlogged,clay soil, before,wet weather,a green slimy bog.DH dug it out to a depth of a foot, bought ton of topsoil. Maple, Rhodes, and camelia all want ericaceous soil. Grasses want hot,dry free draining soil.

Try a climbing Hydrangea on the wall.

Not all grasses want hot, dry free draining soil. Hakonechloa (Japanese forest grass) will not tolerate drought or much sun at all. Molinia caerulea will also grow just about anywhere, including on clay soil.