In article , Mike
writes

Several years ago I dug a semi-circle out of the front lawn to plant up
for more colour. In retrospect this seems to have been a bad idea as
nothing does well.

The spot is a close to a lime tree and not far from a section of
leylani, which are taking all the moisture and nutrients from the bed to
the extent that the soil cracks up in the summer, probably exacerbated
by the clay.

Can any one recommend and suitable types of plants, I'm tempted to go
with daffs as they'll grow anywhere,

Daffs don't like it too dry in summer.
Our native daffs grow in woodlands and in meadows along streamsides - at
least that's where you find them in Glos.

a sprinking of heathers for all
round colour

you can get heathers in flower all the year round and with a variety of
different coloured foliage, but many of them need a non-alkaline soil.
Do people grow rhododendrons in your area?

and they something like impatiens for summer colour.

If its dry in summer, try pelargoniums instead.

Though I dug in a fair bit of compost initially and its gets a good
mulcing, Im intending to remove more of the soil and dig in yet more
compost.

Always a good idea. Actually, just lying the compost on top works - the
earthworms will mix it in for you eventually.
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm