Nick Maclaren wrote:

Well, as someone who grew up in the savanna, I like that look - but
it needs a lot of space and a climate to suit! It isn't very different
in that respect to the UK parkland look, which is well suited to gardens
of a few hectares and up.

Fair enough Nick, but it doesn't suit me - I like it lush - utterly
lush and far more so than I can create here. Even when using far
hardier plants in much larger spaces, I have always been of that
opinion. Some go wild about rustting grasses in the wind and indeed
they can. That is their choice.

For me, the hint of wind is prescient of bitter intrusions from
inhospitably cold places and a reminder of winter. Whether it is
well-suited to larger gardens, remains purely a matter of personal
preference. I've been around long enough to remain unconvinced as to
its aesthetic benefits and to be honest, can't imagine a time when I'll
change. Stuck in the mud so to speak.