In light of the last winter, one plant that I'll be keeping a few of in pots will be the perennial form of Lobellia. Move it close to the house for winter. It does require a lot of water though.

Planning on paper first is always a good idea, so you know how many plants or shrubs you need, what colour and shape of flowers, plus their heights. You also need to know what your soil is - acid or alkaline, and how much sun or shade there is in the different areas. Evergreen shrubs do give structure, so you could plan in a few., depending on the space you have.

Look at your Garden Centre for hardy perennials that you like after you've planned the area. Also browse through the garden photos on GOY, and you can always ask about how hardy a plant that you like is - we never mind answering!

Good luck and happy browsing!