I would try drawing out a design of the whole space - it doesn't have to be a work of art, just to help you get some ideas down and start to think about the whole space as one.
I wonder if you should give over a part of the space next to the ground to a gravel garden of sorts, making sure water can still drain through it, with robust planting. That way you can step out onto it from the car if you need to, or maybe even use it as occasional extra parking space. Most gravel garden designs seem to be for well-drained sunshine, but you can adapt the planting to shade and clay to get a similar effect. White geraniums could look really nice, have a look at Geranium macrorrhizum 'Album' for one example. Ajuga ('Caitlin's Giant' and 'Burgandy Glow' are nice varieties) is a pretty and robust (maybe a bit of a thug!) low-growing plant that you could step on sometimes without it noticing. If I were doing this, I'd want to have a curved edge to the gravel part as it transitions into the shrubs part, to stop it from looking too 'blocky'.
Then you could fill the remaining space with beautiful shrubs, like your pieris and camellia - be aware that both can get quite large! For smaller perennial plants, have a look at astilbes, hellebores and heucheras (the lime green ones seem to be more robust in heavy soil).
Agree with other comments about pyracantha - it can get very large and prickly and you will find yourself having to cut it back a lot as it gets bigger (which can be a painful job even with gloves on!). Maybe better to plant them together to form a dense shrub (we've had a blackbird nesting in ours!), and look at some alternatives for forming a hedge at the front (have a think about how tall you want it to be first).
Perhaps they're like the joker that parked near me the other night when I was collecting my daughter. I've seen some shocking parking, but I think that one takes the biscuit. At an angle, right down the white lane marking the bay, and the a**e end hanging out into the road. He got out and looked, and I thought- 'oh he's realised what a dog's dinner he's made of that', but no - off he went. Clearly thought he'd done a good job.
Pyracantha makes a superb barrier to prevent idiots walking across your property, but I'm not sure you've done a good enough job of planting them. I'd opt for something simple along the edge of the drive. Nothing that needs a lot of faffing, or likes sun, as you said it was shady. @Borderline's suggestion of Euonymous is ideal for there.They'll take any amount of abuse too. Then decide what you want to do with the rest - your soil and aspect should suit Pieris, Skimmia and Azaleas. Bulbs for spring. Very little effort needed to maintain too. Bark mulch - job's a good 'un.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@Fairygirl, where we used to live it was every man for himself with parking: on double red lines, blocking bins, double parking. Someone once double parked and blocked me as I was getting my son in the car, then went to walk off. I couldn't wait to get out, so I'm just happy I HAVE a driveway now! Yeah, I was a bit too keen to get started, a combination of lockdown and finally having a proper garden. Have I planted the plants too far away from each other and too close to the kerb?
I understand completely @pyra88. The disgraceful way some people behave
I'd say yes - they're far too close to the kerb. There's a lot of grass still visible too. That will compete for water and nutrients. They do get quite sizeable once they get going too. It's also best to clear a proper border if you're doing something that's basically a hedge.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Can I suggest alchemilla mollis for the edging up the drive. It's tough has a long season of interest and will stand the odd footfall and the car door shouldn't be scratched by it. You could then fill behind by whatever takes your fancy either perennial or shrub. If you are after year round interest euonymus fortune is not demanding and can be kept in its alloted space
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I wonder if you should give over a part of the space next to the ground to a gravel garden of sorts, making sure water can still drain through it, with robust planting. That way you can step out onto it from the car if you need to, or maybe even use it as occasional extra parking space. Most gravel garden designs seem to be for well-drained sunshine, but you can adapt the planting to shade and clay to get a similar effect. White geraniums could look really nice, have a look at Geranium macrorrhizum 'Album' for one example. Ajuga ('Caitlin's Giant' and 'Burgandy Glow' are nice varieties) is a pretty and robust (maybe a bit of a thug!) low-growing plant that you could step on sometimes without it noticing. If I were doing this, I'd want to have a curved edge to the gravel part as it transitions into the shrubs part, to stop it from looking too 'blocky'.
Then you could fill the remaining space with beautiful shrubs, like your pieris and camellia - be aware that both can get quite large! For smaller perennial plants, have a look at astilbes, hellebores and heucheras (the lime green ones seem to be more robust in heavy soil).
Agree with other comments about pyracantha - it can get very large and prickly and you will find yourself having to cut it back a lot as it gets bigger (which can be a painful job even with gloves on!). Maybe better to plant them together to form a dense shrub (we've had a blackbird nesting in ours!), and look at some alternatives for forming a hedge at the front (have a think about how tall you want it to be first).
Good luck!
At an angle, right down the white lane marking the bay, and the a**e end hanging out into the road.
He got out and looked, and I thought- 'oh he's realised what a dog's dinner he's made of that', but no - off he went. Clearly thought he'd done a good job.
Pyracantha makes a superb barrier to prevent idiots walking across your property, but I'm not sure you've done a good enough job of planting them.
I'd opt for something simple along the edge of the drive. Nothing that needs a lot of faffing, or likes sun, as you said it was shady. @Borderline's suggestion of Euonymous is ideal for there.They'll take any amount of abuse too.
Then decide what you want to do with the rest - your soil and aspect should suit Pieris, Skimmia and Azaleas. Bulbs for spring. Very little effort needed to maintain too. Bark mulch - job's a good 'un.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Yeah, I was a bit too keen to get started, a combination of lockdown and finally having a proper garden. Have I planted the plants too far away from each other and too close to the kerb?
I'd say yes - they're far too close to the kerb. There's a lot of grass still visible too. That will compete for water and nutrients. They do get quite sizeable once they get going too.
It's also best to clear a proper border if you're doing something that's basically a hedge.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...