Your house is certainly characterful , but if that is the total area of the front-garden , there doesn't appear to be much space to plant anything at all !
I echo Paul's thought - it just doesn't look big enough for tree or big bush. I'm assuming you have a soil bed on the inside of the front wall, which would be in shade low down? You could try the black grass ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens' which tends to gently spread if it's happy - very low maintenance. There is small tree/bush said to resemble scrunched up barbed wire but unfortunately I can't remember it's name at the moment. Hopefully others might. The only other one I can think of is a fatsia japonica (big evergreen finger like leaves) but it might grow too big for your space.
Just had a quick look through my RHS book, the following might fit your brief. 1. The barbed wire bush I was thinking of is Corokia cotoneaster (actually, wire netting bush). 2. Colletia armata 3. Pseudopanax ferox (certainly alien looking!) www.bluebellnursery.com 4. Euphorbia characias subs wulfenii 5. Corylus avellana 'Contorta' (purple variety)
Being south west facing, you will have a small micro climate there at the front. You can plant in large containers or raised beds. Keeping the theme of pinks, dark purples mixed with green would show off the brickwork.
Tradescantia Pallida 'Purpurea' has a sprawling and trailing habit. Can fill small spaces very well. Throughout summer, pale pink triangular flowers stud the foliage. Muehlenbeckia Complexa offers small foliage that tumble and sprawls into a matted tangle. Great coverage, yet has an airy look too.
Robinia Pseudoacacia 'Lace Lady' is a slow growing dwarf tree with a contorted and twisted habit. The leaves are curled and twisted and as the tree matures, there are small tumbling flowers in early summer. The size would suit your front area.
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You could try the black grass ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens' which tends to gently spread if it's happy - very low maintenance. There is small tree/bush said to resemble scrunched up barbed wire but unfortunately I can't remember it's name at the moment.
Hopefully others might. The only other one I can think of is a fatsia japonica (big evergreen finger like leaves) but it might grow too big for your space.
1. The barbed wire bush I was thinking of is Corokia cotoneaster (actually, wire netting bush).
2. Colletia armata
3. Pseudopanax ferox (certainly alien looking!) www.bluebellnursery.com
4. Euphorbia characias subs wulfenii
5. Corylus avellana 'Contorta' (purple variety)
What fun!
Tradescantia Pallida 'Purpurea' has a sprawling and trailing habit. Can fill small spaces very well. Throughout summer, pale pink triangular flowers stud the foliage. Muehlenbeckia Complexa offers small foliage that tumble and sprawls into a matted tangle. Great coverage, yet has an airy look too.
Robinia Pseudoacacia 'Lace Lady' is a slow growing dwarf tree with a contorted and twisted habit. The leaves are curled and twisted and as the tree matures, there are small tumbling flowers in early summer. The size would suit your front area.