can any one help me with inspiration.

hi, please can anyone give me some inspiration?
I have been asked to help my sons local rugby club.They have a very very overgrown memorial garden covered with various low growing conifers, hidden underneath is the memorial stones - nobody knows they are there. I need plant ideas that will give all year round interest, look good in the winter. if anyone can help that would be great.

 

Hi Sam
Why not canvas the members to find out what they like? I work as a designer & always go through a questionnaire with clients, before thinking about what plants etc to include in a garden. Other things to think about are who will use the garden, when & how will it be used & who will look after it + how much money is available to do it up (e.g getting people involved & growing from seed , providing cuttings etc is considerably cheaper than buying in plants & would involve people more)
The world is your oyster really as far as planting styles/ choice of plants go. Its best to ask questions of the people who will be most involved with the garden so they get what they want = will be more inclined to feel "ownership"

 

I go with Bayleaf - its important to check what the members want from this - before decisions on plants are made.

From what you describe i.e. the garden has not been cared for, then what may be suitable may be limited e,g, a snall knot garden with the framework gravel on membrane, and the infill with something like ericas, or thymes, or other low growing plants - but even these will require care.

Its a memorial garden, but what do the club want from it - how much committment is there to care for it, what is it in memorial for. If the answeres are not a lot, or none - then there's little point in planting it.