Right, what do I do with this bed?

[MaryMotherOfCheeses]

I've got a rectangular bed right in the middle of my front garden. Around 2ft by 6ft. For the last couple of years I've had self seeded marigolds covering the whole thing and looking rather marvellous. I love the solid block of really cheerful colour.

Problem is, spring and autumn it looks rubbish. Great in summer, but...

So. perhaps some bulbs for spring? Then they'll die down and let the marigolds through?

Can I plant something for autumn? Or should I get rid of the marigolds and plant something else which will flower through to autumn? Needs to be no more than 18 inches tall and I want a good block of colour. Perhaps in orange.

What do you think?

How about a low growing evergreen at each corner? I think you need to give some structure to a rectangular plot, to take the hard edges off it. Perhaps some hebes, or some lavender, helibores, or some box?

Then you could fill the centre with bulbs, such as minature daffs, or crocus, iris, and tulips. In such a tiny space you need to think blocks of colour and not lots of different colours or it will just look patchwork.

Forget me nots look great with black and white tulips rising up through them, but then you'd need to pull them up by late May ( they'll self seed) and replace with other things, such as pansies or summer bedding, including dahlias. OR forget annuals and summer bedding and go for pernnials such as hardy geraniums, iris- foliage looks great all year round.

With such a tiny space you need to plant big and bold, not lots of differnt stuff- 3 or 4 types of plants in groups of 3 looks better than 7 different ones planted singly.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

you see, I really just want one solid block of colour. There's perennial colour elsewhere in the other beds, it's just this one I want one thing only at a time. Sounds bizarre I know but it looks quite striking with the rest of the garden.

What I need is two plants which will work consecutively, one after the other, iyswim.

Crocosmia or chyrsanthemums?