Garden overhaul

I've got a very full border, that has been planted by the previous owners of our new house. I've been looking through a 'flower expert' book which suggests plants to have in the border, to provide flowers all through the year. I've got a large rose that I'll keep, and the aforementioned buddleia



I have a couple of foxgloves, alium, loosestrife, blue crane's bill, snow-in-summer, and some that I have NO idea what they are! (photos attached, if anyone can help me identify them?)





Anyway, I'm wondering whether to get rid of most of the plants here, and put in new ones, to give us more colour and less green. Is this a good idea? And if so, when's the best time to dig out and plant? I know it'll be quite bare for a little while!

 

Are you planning on transplanting to another part of the garden ?
If so autumn time is best

 

No, it'll be transplanting to the compost heap I'm afraid, I don't have anywhere else to put them, unless I get some space after the g.elder has been eradicated in the adjoining bit of land we've got.

 

Ellen,
I have found that over the last couple of years, more and more green and less flowers has happened for quite a lot of our hardy perennials. I think the cooler seasons have a lot to answer for so things that you plant may eventually end up like that.
In the meantime, a" new canvas and a fresh set of paints" will be good to watch,
plenty of yummy stuff on GC,
Jenny

 

Ok ... Well you've got many options .. But I wouldn't be planting too many shrubs while the weather is so hot at the moment .. Maybe a major cut down and trim is the way so you can see what you've got 1st ?

 

Thanks Jenny

I also want to put my stamp on it, rather than just keep it ticking over? A lot of the plants were dry stalks when I got to them, and I cut them all down. They've come back with a vengeance, but my husband thinks they look overgrown (I'm inclined to agree) and I really want a lot of colour

 

Most of this was either bare soil, or dry dead stalks that I cut down to the ground. All this has come up this spring/summer, apart from the rose and the buddleia!