Can I do this in my new build garden?

[pumpkinNspice]

Hello clever gardeners.

I have recently moved into a new build with an atrocious garden (I posted about it here before) which is pure clay, on a slope, and completely waterlogged after 5 mins of rain. We do intend to have the garden done but it won't be for a year or two. As such, I'm only planting in containers (as large as we can carry into the garden!). And lots and lots of hanging baskets along the back fence.

In the meantime, I have two enormous planters that were made for me as I have a bad back and find bending difficult. I want to move them along to the left fence, but I'm thinking they need to be sat on something. Or it's going to look scruffy with the grass growing wild below.

I'm thinking to get the OH to dig away the top layer of grass, cover it in some kind of fabric to stop weeds, and then maybe cover the whole thing with stones. We'd probably need a delivery of a ton of them. I also want to put a tree in the corner in a giant pot.

Is this a good idea? What else could I do? Pics of the planters, the boring garden, and a brilliant drawing of my thoughts.

Thanks!

I have all my trees in pots. My garden is smaller than yours so I wanted height to block neighbours but also to keep proportions.
I have a weeping crab apple ( photos) , a cheery tree and a beech tree.

I planted in a small curved normal bed and kept the grass because it's lovely to walk on.
I created wide steps to create interest on one side with railway sleepers and gravel. They are good to display pots on.

My advice would be not to over plant until you have a feel for the garden.

Thank you @AndThereSheGoes this what I was hoping to see! Trees in pots! I've gone back to that as my original idea. I've seen two pots in the garden centre I might get this weekend that look bigger than yours, and as your trees are doing so well I'm sure a cherry tree and a rowan will be ok in them.

Plant up the boggy area near the house with plants that like to be wet? Blueberries, watercress, coriander I think.

Alternatively, It’s good to build up on clay- the clay holds water underneath accessible for plants above in raised beds. I’d use sleepers to raise the edge where your patio starts so when you stand on the patio the bed is higher in front of you. Fill the space behind it with lasagna layers and plant into it. Do that to level the garden, taking stuff from the far end to backfill the new retaining wall.

I can take pictures of the others tomorrow. They've been in the pots for 17 years. I've gone one size larger once. You can cut the root ball to keep them small but healthy.

Also think about hard landscaping ( something crazy like 40%) and proportion. notanothergardeningblog.com/tag/proportion-in-landscape-design/

Gardening is not just planting stuff you like apparently. 😬

I have little trees in pots too. Two olives, two of the flamingo birches that were £3 each from the dead plant aisle in Asda, a Christmas tree, a crab apple that doesn't seem to grow, an acer, and something else I can't remember the name of.

I have a weeping crab apple Is that Red Jade? Disappointingly small crabs, but a stunner when in flower. Mine is 30 years old, about 3m tall but more like 5m across, with a 15cm dia trunk.