Tootles, I wonder if the problem is the strong horizontal lines: you've got the wall and the front of the border and that might give a hemmed-in feel, especially if the plants are all of similar height and because the wall visually dominates the plants. What if you got a few strong (but varied) verticals there, some one higher than the wall if possible? But spread out throughout the bed. And perhaps a climber along part of the top of the wall to soften it (but not along the whole wall - variety, not repetition, is key). And a few different colours. In my opinion more variety might look better in this case.
Try to look at it as a painting: in a painting you need a strong focal point and paths leading to it. If everything is equally important (here it would be plants of similar height/colour/texture, and the expanse of the wall which is quite dominant because of its warm colour and fairly strong contrasts in the brick colours, but again there's no direction in the pattern), it looks messy because you don't really know where to look. But if your eye is lead around the bed and then to the focal point, the composition begins to make sense. If that makes sense.
I do like your plants, but you said you thought it was messy, hence some unsolicited advice...
Brilliant advice Aster2. Thanks so much. What kind of plants make strong verticals? Would fir trees do the job?
I've got a bit of winter flowering jasmine in there growing up the wall but it's not very strong.
Good opportunity to think about a nice climber. Would a rose be too much do you think?
Sadly art was never a strong subject of mine so I find it really tricky to visualise the picture. I'd like to improve on that so this bed will be a good opportunity.
Cosmos does like to dive Tootles, I always have mine supported by other plants as it can be a pain. I have a similar problem with my shade bed. Have dug it up loads of times, still not happy.
I find groups of things look better than one thing on it's own but don't take too much notice of what I say......I'm still digging it up
Some climbers would be nice Tootles, just leave enough access to get in for pruning. A few bits of paving, which would be hidden by plants in front, would do the trick. You could stick some vine eyes and wire in along the wall if you don't want to go to the bother of trellis, although that can be a feature during winter. Hundreds of choices of rose or clematis.
If you want verticals, try a few things like Liatris or Verbascums, and Alliums are great too. Height but not too much width. For evergreen verticals you could use yew - taxus standishii. A few columns of that will give a good accent. Then you can add other shapes as time goes on, with bulbs for spring.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I don't know their final size, I could look it up, I suppose, but this little family fits in with our lifestyle, and we're happy to keep putting food out for them.
Posts
Tootles, I wonder if the problem is the strong horizontal lines: you've got the wall and the front of the border and that might give a hemmed-in feel, especially if the plants are all of similar height and because the wall visually dominates the plants. What if you got a few strong (but varied) verticals there, some one higher than the wall if possible? But spread out throughout the bed. And perhaps a climber along part of the top of the wall to soften it (but not along the whole wall - variety, not repetition, is key). And a few different colours. In my opinion more variety might look better in this case.
Try to look at it as a painting: in a painting you need a strong focal point and paths leading to it. If everything is equally important (here it would be plants of similar height/colour/texture, and the expanse of the wall which is quite dominant because of its warm colour and fairly strong contrasts in the brick colours, but again there's no direction in the pattern), it looks messy because you don't really know where to look. But if your eye is lead around the bed and then to the focal point, the composition begins to make sense. If that makes sense.
I do like your plants, but you said you thought it was messy, hence some unsolicited advice...
Brilliant advice Aster2. Thanks so much. What kind of plants make strong verticals? Would fir trees do the job?
I've got a bit of winter flowering jasmine in there growing up the wall but it's not very strong.
Good opportunity to think about a nice climber. Would a rose be too much do you think?
Sadly art was never a strong subject of mine so I find it really tricky to visualise the picture. I'd like to improve on that so this bed will be a good opportunity.
Cosmos does like to dive Tootles, I always have mine supported by other plants as it can be a pain. I have a similar problem with my shade bed. Have dug it up loads of times, still not happy.
I find groups of things look better than one thing on it's own but don't take too much notice of what I say......I'm still digging it up
Some climbers would be nice Tootles, just leave enough access to get in for pruning. A few bits of paving, which would be hidden by plants in front, would do the trick. You could stick some vine eyes and wire in along the wall if you don't want to go to the bother of trellis, although that can be a feature during winter. Hundreds of choices of rose or clematis.
If you want verticals, try a few things like Liatris or Verbascums, and Alliums are great too. Height but not too much width. For evergreen verticals you could use yew - taxus standishii. A few columns of that will give a good accent. Then you can add other shapes as time goes on, with bulbs for spring.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Photo of Skinks today, sun baking.
Colchicum
Perenial Aster and rose
Good shot of the skink Pat, love the flowers.
Thanks Yviestevie, I'm glad you like them. I've got another photo of the adult Skink, but am having trouble uploading it. Need Hubby's assistance.
Trying again
Aha! Did it. The earlier photo had one of the babies with the adult. I love the coloured markings and the ridges on the tail.
How big are they Pat, it's hard to tell from the photo
I don't know their final size, I could look it up, I suppose, but this little family fits in with our lifestyle, and we're happy to keep putting food out for them.