Just wanted to say many thanks for your suggestions. I've taken a note
of them and will go the GC armed with the info very soon and see what I
can get. I'll let you know the outcome.

I was asked for more info on where I live etc. I live in Forest Hill
in London in a mid-terraced house. The garden is about 80 ft long but
quite narrow. There is some fencing on either side but it's not
totally secluded. Most of the patio area does get quite a bit of sun,
although it does tend to get blown about by south/south-westerly winds,
which we get quite a lot of. I hope that helps.

Sylvia