Hi, I have been 4 years in my current home, and the back garden pretty much each year needs some new plants and shrubs. Although I admit we have in the past bought what looks nice and arent necessarily suited for our east facing heavy clay moisture retaining soil.

Firstly, I have over the last 2 months or so being contemplating removing the soil/clay from our flower bed about a foot or so and replacing with new soil mixed in with sand but adding more depth - so allowing for a total of 15 inches of decent soil to replace the harsh stuff we have now. Lots of digging out and replacing.....good idea?

As an aside, we had our lawn put down 2 years ago, and only now over the last month or two with some sunshine and lots of rain has it come back to life as it were....was previously, quite thinned out especially when cut and not really great looking - although fine when it looks like it needs cutting, again due to the clay soil and poor drainage - but I do throw down aftercut lawn care every so often when I mow it.

In terms of going forward and planting, what types of shrubs, plants, flowers that are all year round, and keep coming back are best suited for the environment I describe?

Thanks for the advice and recommendations in advance!!