This was the existing border in the garden. Okay the block wall is ugly, but it is practical. It is in reasonable good condition so I am adding trellis to the top and then it will all get a coat of paint (a dark lavender grey which will show off the foliage but settle into the background).

The border is full of purple bugle, I don't mind this spreading everywhere for now it is great ground cover and as long as I clear it away from the base of new shrubs whilst they get established eventually it will make a lovely ground cover without needing to mulch.

There is also a lovely variegated lamium, doesn't spread as much and is a little taller than the bugle, and an alysum (white on blue green foliage - lovely) which forms large cushions. All of these are easily pulled up if they start to invade.

We inherited a couple of ground cover roses in pots which I have added into the border as well as some alliums I brought in pots. I bought some primula denticulata, carex, carex bronze, several other grasses and a selection of small shrubs (hebe, euonymous, etc) and some climbers (clematis, passion flower) and was given a climbing rose too. I sowed some sweet peas to provide some quick height this year because I love the cut flowers in the house and I wanted as many flowers as possible this year to encourage pollinating insects for the veggies.

I found some really good value fruit trees so bought two different apples which will grow as espaliers against this wall and a cherry (Stella) which is planted at the bottom of the garden. Its not a huge garden and the neighbours have some mature trees so it doesn't need too many trees and certainly not large ones, but the house name is Rowan Lea and I had a Rowan in my last garden so I had to have one here too - a birthday present has provided that and it has been planted in view of the kitchen window where it will throw shade over the patio and the dog runs at different times of the day.

I hope to add some either needle junipers or some golden elm column trees right at the bottom, which along with some trellis will hide an ugly wooden 'fence' belonging to the neighbours.