Or perhaps bring your planting area round the sides of the paving but not equal, one side longer and wider than the other. Using hose pipe to fiddle about until the shape is pleasing. Lots of ideas Jenny_Aster will you let us know what you decide on please as I'm sure we would like to know and see.?
Wow, I'm blown away here with your ideas. Thank you everyone. I'll not rush replying, we've had visitors today so I couldn't reply sooner. Now I've got some serious thinking to do! Can see I'll need to think grander!
Will reply in full soon. Thank you again everyone X
Thank you @Fairygirl, never thought about tucking the edges of the pond into the soil. This is why this forum is go great, it helps to get out of that 'straight jacket' thinking! Had a thought to remove the feeder away from the pond. I tend to favour 'suck and see' as the 'project' develops. I'm not much good at visualising as I tend to go over the top somewhat
The garden is for us to enjoy, and to appreciate how wonderful nature is. My OH's health isn't great, he'd 'normally' been taking 'charge' while I supplied the cups of tea. I'm trying to create the garden without too much drama as he gets upset, agitated and frustrated that he can't manage much of late. Once the garden is planted up, I'm sure it'll give him an interest. But I am determined to have somewhere nice to sit as soon as I can.
Thank you for the tips on aesthetics, I had the idea that cos the pond was miniature, everything else has to be the same. Also thanks for the planting tips. I'm now thinking of getting a low sprawling plant such as a cotoneaster, maybe it can be planted on the far edge of the bed, and as it grows the turf can be cut back from it making it a 'natural' edge? Maybe even a dwarf conifer instead as per @Chris-P-Bacon's suggestion? I like the idea of birds using such a plant for safety.
I intend to plant up at the edge of the pavers, and along the turf to soften the edges.
Thank you @Uff, you're right that it should 'natural and not contrived' - I didn't know how to put that into words . Hoping that as time goes on the 'newness' about the bed will mellow into being more natural. I've now got to keep my eyes open for something to place in the area to bring a natural accent into it. Love the old stumps and moss, that effect must take years to achieve.)
Thanks also for the offer of a bootful of logs wouldn't ask you to do that with the price of petrol as it is... but what a generous offer x
Thanks @Loxley, never thought about the conflict of 'style', you're right, though I didn't imagine the obelisk as a feature, I wanted to use the rose as height for a bit of privacy - though the rose might end up climbing up some trellis along the back of the bed. The paved area is right outside of our kitchen where we hope to eat alfresco when the weather permits. We might disturb the birds for an hour or so each day, but I guess they'll be able to put up with that. The feeder has been moved further away from the pond, but it might end up in the middle of the lawn, it's simple enough to move.
The idea for putting the feeder amongst the plants was for protection. It seems there's quite a large population of cats here. I didn't want the birds to be exposed too much.
That garden is just up my street @Nollie, it's gorgeous. I very much doubt I could aspire to that though. But it's a lovely thought.
Thanks @BenCotto, you're plan is something that I can definitely work towards. At the moment the garden is so devoid of any character, it's almost sterile, and difficult to imagine it with a bit of 'magic'. With a bit of constructive thought I'm hoping it'll manage a glimpse of that elusive 'wow factor'.!
Here're my efforts this morning. It's crying out for plants. I've moved the bird station to the corner, and it's here I've a mind to plant a sprawling cotoneaster - as the plant grows the turf will be cut back to accommodate it. The hibiscus has been moved too, but maybe not moved far enough. Edges of the pond has been turned under the soil, with a plan to grow ornamental grasses in clumps around and in the gravel. The area has had 120L of mature farm manure and it's hardly touched surface will add compost to the area when I plant up.
Just remember that anything you plant will grow - and shrubs of almost any kind can get quite sizeable, and will therefore need pruning. That can defeat the purpose, and just create more problems. Bigger shrubs are better kept a bit further away. I assume you'll want to look at the pond, sitting on the patio, and from inside as well. If you keep the planting lower at that patio side, you'll get a better view of anything using it. Birds and other wildlife will use it, but getting a balance, and a link with the rest of the space is also important, so it's good to have a think about other planting as well, to attract them all in. They need to have cover and safety
I think that dwarf conifers will be the next big garden trend lovely with grasses. They are known as dwarf and they are slow growing but they will continue to grow.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
There's really no such thing as a dwarf conifer They might take a while to get sizeable, but they don't magically stop, so they need careful trimming from early on, or at least from around 6 or 7 years depending on the size you want them. They've always been popular up here, because our climate suits them, but the number of people who plant them outside windows and doors is always astonishing, and it's because they're often described as dwarf. Fifteen years later, they've got their lights on all day.... Either that or they shear them across the middle when they get too big
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Oh @Jenny_Aster that looks a million times better already.
I think planting around the edge of the square will help to make it less rigid looking.
A dwarf conifer in place of the obelisk thingy would look lovely. Stick a few Stipa tenuissima in there and some ferns and a few perennials etc....
I would move the bird feeder a lot further back and over perhaps to the shadow line cos you're gonna end up with poop all over the plants and potentially seeds germinating.
Sorry to hear of your OH’s health, Jenny. Yes that garden was lovely but definitely far to ambitious for your situation. It’s great to pick ideas up from bigger schemes though and scale them down to something more appropriate to your garden, your needs and the size of your pond 😊 You’ve made a great start, it’s amazing the difference some gravel makes. Good luck.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
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Lots of ideas Jenny_Aster will you let us know what you decide on please as I'm sure we would like to know and see.?
Will reply in full soon. Thank you again everyone X
Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
Here're my efforts this morning. It's crying out for plants. I've moved the bird station to the corner, and it's here I've a mind to plant a sprawling cotoneaster - as the plant grows the turf will be cut back to accommodate it. The hibiscus has been moved too, but maybe not moved far enough. Edges of the pond has been turned under the soil, with a plan to grow ornamental grasses in clumps around and in the gravel. The area has had 120L of mature farm manure and it's hardly touched surface
Thanks again everyone for your help.
Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
I assume you'll want to look at the pond, sitting on the patio, and from inside as well. If you keep the planting lower at that patio side, you'll get a better view of anything using it.
Birds and other wildlife will use it, but getting a balance, and a link with the rest of the space is also important, so it's good to have a think about other planting as well, to attract them all in. They need to have cover and safety
There's another thread just now with queries about ponds, liners and plants etc, so it might be worth taking a look.
https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/1062703/how-to-hide-my-pond-liner/p1
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
They are known as dwarf and they are slow growing but they will continue to grow.
They might take a while to get sizeable, but they don't magically stop, so they need careful trimming from early on, or at least from around 6 or 7 years depending on the size you want them.
They've always been popular up here, because our climate suits them, but the number of people who plant them outside windows and doors is always astonishing, and it's because they're often described as dwarf. Fifteen years later, they've got their lights on all day....
Either that or they shear them across the middle when they get too big
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.