On Sun, 19 Aug 2012 18:26:43 -0700 (PDT), Higgs Boson
wrote:

On Aug 18, 5:24*pm, "David E. Ross" wrote:
On 8/18/12 12:37 PM, Kriss wrote:

Ive spent 4 years working on my garden... but I not that keen on it!!

When we moved in it was a piece of wasteland, it was horrendous. So its
taken a couple of years to just get the structure of it. Ive put in
walls, steps, a patio, new fencing, new lawn.

Apart from the entrance, with my star jasmine climbers and strawberry
plants, Im not too keen on it!!

I feel like ripping out most of the shurbs and starting again! Has
anyone got any ideas of plants, trees, shrubs etc I could try? I thought
about builing a seating area in the corner.

I just feel the gardens a bit dull! It needs a bit more interest!

It's not the plants. *It's the design. *You need either hire a landscape
designer or else to take classes in garden design.

I learned this the hard way. *I designed my first garden. *It was
beautiful. *But maintaining it was labor intensive. *Sometimes, I was
gardening by moonlight because there was not enough daylight. *Also, it
had no really recognizable theme or concept. *My present garden was
designed by a professional. *It takes far less effort to maintain, and I
see a design concept. *It is also quite beautiful.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: *California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

Amigo, listen to David. Design is primary. Even if you can't afford
a professional designer, you can ask your neighborhood nursery for a
less expensive recommendation.

That's how I got the lady who, several years ago, helped turn the back
of my yard into a -- hate that stilted term! -- a viable concept. She
charged less than a licensed landscaper, and was caring and involved.
I won't say that her plant recommendataions were exactly radical;
most were fairly conventional, but then I didn't want to take on the
work of baby-sitting exotica; I just wanted it to look good and not
demand too much care.

To save money, I installed everything myself. Looking back: "OMG How
did I DO that??!!!. The area was choked with roots from existing
trees, etc. so it sometimes took me a half-hour or more to open a
hole. And I had to wait until the worst heat was over before I could
get out there and work. Over time I have modified the original
design considerably, but am glad I did hire someone to advise me.

HTH

HB
Could you post a link and some pictures of your gareden.