This is my garden,  a mixture of containers, sitting on a hard paved yard.    I  change the  design annually , as I love trying out new spatial ideas and planting combinations.    I am happy with the layout for this year, however if later on,  I feel it’s not quite right I can always get my sack truck out and move the containers around, to create the spaces and plant combinations I really want to see.

At the moment these images do look a little stark to say the least.  Don’t forget this is only the beginning of April.  By early summer not a single container will be obvious, it will hopefully resemble  a mass of foliage, flowers and vegetables (here’s hoping)

My garden is mainly created from cuttings, annuals, grasses and  perennials which over the years have  self seeded gently  from  their original  containers to fill the gaps between  the pavers.  This year  I have found  the amount of self seeded hardy annuals and biennials   is  somewhat sadly lacking.  In an attempt to get round this I have decided to  transplant  seedlings within the next month or so.  Bearing this in mind,  it will not be quite as natural as I would  like it to be, as I will be deciding where to plant, rather than where a seed fell and germinated.     Ammi majus, Verbena bonariensis and teasels will be my choice to link the main garden together thiis year.

This small space around the side of the house has weathered well for self seeding.   When we moved here eleven years ago, this courtyard was bare concrete. I put some gravel down,  planted a narrow border around  the edges and  the rest is history,  It has naturally self seeded and it is beautiful  – maybe I should just fill the spaces around the containers in the main yard with gravel to get round the lack of self seeding?

Over the winter months I scour seed catalogues for new ideas.  However some plants play a prominent role in my garden every year.  I honestly don’t feel my garden would be complete without them.  I am captivated by their superb colour, texture and form.

It’s not that I am unsatisfied with how my garden looks on an annual basis. It all boils down to the fact that I like trying new ideas out, and with a passion for naturalistic design and propagation I don’t think it will ever end.  Looking at this selection of images of my garden, reminds me how it has altered over the years.

Enjoy your gardens, in whatever content, shape, form, texture and colour you desire.  Remember this weekend is the second year of Greenhouse Day  to enable us to get growing our garden spaces.  On Sunday   I will  be cleaning the greenhouse roof, drinking coffee and sowing this years garden in mine, whilst checking on my overwintered dahlias, and gladioli corms.   Obviously not all at the same time though !