Spring Refurbishment!

Its looking good - widening a border is often a big improvement when you take the plunge. The variegated pittosporum (if I've got it right?) will look lovely there and make a good contrast to the dark red leaves of the other little bush. All you need now is a new bench so you can sit and admire it...

I agree with Stera, you should have as wide a border as possible, some say at least three feet!! some of ours are, the grass has just got smaller and smaller lol
A lovely choice Pittosporum and Italian Buckthorn, although the Buckthorn neds to be pruned gently to keep it bushy, and the Fatsia will be much better out of the pot.......
you are so lucky to have a natural backdrop to your beautiful garden....

Yes, it looks great Julia. I love the fence colour too! Your garden looks really warm today. We had lovely sunshine all day too. I did manage to get a few jobs done outdoors and a couple of long dog walks. One of the highlights of my day now is arriving at my favourite country park in the mornings with Willow and listening to all the birdsong in the woods. Bliss!

It really is looking good. You have created a very attractive area.

Looks amazing.

That looks so much nicer,Julia,and helps to hide the road too,as well as some shelter for your new shrubs..You are gong to love planting up the rest of your wider border now..well done :o)

No Julia, I cant say I have.

What an improvement and a great colour too. The shrubs look ideal. What I really envy is the lovely curving path you have. We live on clay that moves all the time, so any sort of hard-landscaping moves up and down and is not practical. Shame about the tree, it must have been lovely once!

Thats a nice bright, modern colour on the fence.I've never been brave enough to try pastel colours but, perhaps I should as one side of our back garden is terribly shady and dull...this may brighten it up.

Looking good M'land, as you said a job out of the way, hope your new shrubs do well for you....

Sorry Meadowland! why couldn't I see that the birch was still there in the after photo? For some reason I thought that was what you disposed of, perhaps new glasses are called for, or more concentration.

I may take the plunge although, only retreated the fenc s last summer (the standard brown)

Meadowland, you have created a beautiful and interesting garden. I wish I was good at design but I don't have the vision. Therefore I have a small square with borders edging a curved lawn. Very ordinary. I would love something OUT of the ordinary but it's not going to happen now. Too old to do the work!

Your garden is great.

Yes, I know how you feel but I don't have that problem now though I can always find room for just one more plant!

It looks very nice :)

I don't have any decent photos as it's only two years old. Though the garden is older than that the previous occupants didn't bother with it so I've been trying to get colour, scent and insect friendly plants. When the Spring is really here I'll take some pix and post them.