In article , Niall Smyth
writes

The shrubs are all nice and I want to leave them
so my colour will be filling in between them

So I plant bulbs now for spring, Im okay with that,
but when the flowers are done and leave them in the ground
do the summer flowers go in between them?
Do I / Can I take up the bulbs?

I wouldn't bother. Why make work?

How do you guys know whats there?

I don't! It's a lovely surprise each season ;-)
If I dig something up by mistake, I replant it.

Do you have tags reminding you what bulbs are there?

I was looking for showy exotic varieties for all year round
Am I best off with summer bulbs rather that bedders
(The most interesting thing I have found so far is the
frittalia maxima rubra)

You'll probably need to dig up the summer bulbs and give them frost
protection through the winter. So from that point of view you might as
well use almost anything - try, for example, tuberous begonias - big
flowers in very bright colours (seems to have been this year's favourite
theme plant for pub hanging baskets), brugmansia (big dangling bells
8inches or more long), coleus for bright red and other colour foliage,
lilies, some of the brightly coloured ginger relatives. Look at the
houseplant section of your GC as well as the summer bedding.

I would love to take some digi snaps and
have you guys look at my garden
and maybe give me pointers on plants/ schemes etc
I am really pleased with the structural elements of the garden
but need the plants to do it justice

The 10foot thistle thing is a huge thistle like artichoke family plant
Huge silver grey leaves with large purple flowering heads
(Bumble bees all over them) Anyone know the name.

Probably a cardoon - close relative/variety of the globe artichoke.

I was lead
to belive that these (3) will die off to nothing in winter and start again
Could I plant spring colour there or would they upset each other?

Die off to *almost* nothing, but it will have a big root under.
Difficult to plant there I would have though, but you could always stand
a [pot on it for a while.


--
Kay Easton

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