Woodland garden ideas

[Needtosoundoffandbreathe]

We've had some overgrown laurels removed and regained a huge chunk of garden next to a lawn. We will re-seed some of it as we'd lost a lot of grass. I'm now looking for ideas for perennials to add interest. There are already some mature shrubs and lovely trees. I did plant some liriope years ago and, although they lasted several years, they never flowered.

Which aspect does the garden face?. our back is NW facing, but it's a bungalow so the sun comes over the roof from the SE .we have a woodland area, under a eucalyptus.. rhododendron and azalea,Acers, nothing was wildly expensive,Lidl and Aldi. There are rocks, and branches, ferns. Photinia.At the moment various Primulas, snow drops, Cyclamen.

Thank you. It's smaller plants and bulbs, etc I'm looking for ideas for for added interest. I really want it to feel more natural than manicured garden. It's north east facing so gets sun for part of the day.

All the plants bulbs I suggested would be perfect

Dry shade is tricky! I have a large cherry tree and 3 himalyan birches and under these I have had some success with
Hardy gernaiums which seem to grow pretty much anywhere.
Periwinkle, not v showy but evergreen
Brunnera I have Jack Frost and its lovely
Cyclamen for bulbs.
Japanese anenomes- but I have to water mine in intense heat.
Achillea molis
Hellebores
Foxglove
My garden faces north but it a long way from the house so does get sun for a lot of the day.

I have a mini woodland area at the end of my garden and planted violets, anemone nemrosa, bluebells, foxgloves and monkshood. All doing well.

Thanks for the ideas. I find I forget about plants and was stuck thinking hellebores and not much else! I don't want to pack the area with things, just have a couple of spots for added interest. There's a cryptomeria japonica and a magnolia I planted a few years ago, a hazel, a berberis and a mature goat willow tree. There's a very poor 'hedge' of snowberry that I'm thinking of replacing with hornbeam because it just looks a mess.

We have brunnera Jack Frost close to this area in an established bed. The foxgloves, achillea molis and native bluebells are all things I like. There's periwinkle and perennial geraniums already. I'll get planning!

For dry shade you can't go wrong with hardy geraniums/Cranesbill.

I would go for ferns, ornamental grasses, heathers and euonymus.

We have loads of those. I'd quite like something different!

I think soil plays a part in sowing seeds. It actually takes alot of work to condition the soil to be good enough and receptive enough for sowing seeds and growing plants.

Epimediums, viburnums and Japanese quince all do well in what I call our woodland garden.

Grasses like sun, and they are prairie plants not woodland

Some grasses like Hakonechloa macra are fine for shade - also known as Japanese Forest Grass. I've got a variegated carex that's in shade much of the time and it's doing really well.

Garden centres are starting to sell off their spring bulbs in pots now. My local one had loads of snowdrops this morning that were just finishing flowering, and you're supposed to plant them 'in the green' and they also had many dwarf narcissi. so maybe go and see whether there's anything in a garden centre near you.

I've only had success with snowdrops in the green and they have to not dry out over the summer. If they're being sold off hopefully the price is good? Just been out to the reclaimed bit of garden and pulled up more laurel seedings and an ash seedling.