Baz wrote:

Bob, your humour went over my head, I was digging the plot with my son all
weekend and got myself a bad back trying to keep up with him. Took me ages
to get out of bed this morning so I have stayed at home today.

You should try something lighter - a spade is favourite, and in any
case, sons can be sods to wash thoroughly after use.

I dont think I understand the term 'open aspect'. I took it to literally
mean open with no shade and full sun.

We have sown a packet(50 seeds) of Aquadulce Claudia in some of this shaded
area and we will see what happens.

Rusty Hinge and Paul Luton have responded to my enquiery and suggest fruit
bushes and it might be a good thing to plant so we wont have to worry about
crop rotation in that portion of the garden. We intend to plant some in the
garden anyway so this may be the place. It never occured to me!
If I can buy a few to plant now or soon(gooseberries eg this will start
the plot off nicely.

Gooseberries, being a hedgerow undergrowth shrub originally, will
tolerate a lot of shade. Some sun is an advantage though.

You could plant any number of bulbs - useful ones like ramsons. Some
wild anemones and winter aconites (poisonous!) like shade.

Things are comming into place in my mind now and am thankful for everyones
advice and suggestions.

There! You have to give people time to think before feeling rejected innit.

--
Rusty