Help with new bed plan

Our garden used to have 4 large conifer trees at the back of the garden which were taken down around 10 years ago. It was pretty much left bare and a few random shrubs self seeded themselves. Last year I wanted to get into gardening and decided I wanted to see colour and more flowers so decided to remove the shrubs, sift and improve the soil and grow lots of annuals and perennials from seed.




This was just a massive experiment for my first year of gardening and although a lot of hard work (blood, sweat and tears... quite literally!) I achieved my goal and was really proud of myself. I do have ADHD and although I did a lot of planning and love the results.... I never got any time to just enjoy it, also had no time to do other important things in life I should have also been getting on with.

I have bought a few shrubs for the front and back garden which are still to arrive. Different varieties of Hebe, Nandina, Pieris, Euonymus, Phormiums and other evergreen grasses and perennials, also some spring bulbs too.

I don't want to just rip it all up and start again now as the dahlias and a few other perennials are still glorious, but I do want to take out a hidden old tree stump which is now soft enough to hammer out, feed and level out the soil and move the perennials I would like to keep, but completely confused the best time to do any of it. I know that around now would be the best time to move and divide perennials, also to plant bulbs, but shrubs have not arrived yet and don't want to completely ruin the beautiful display I've created.....I also do not want an empty bed all winter to next spring

Any helpful advice would be much appreciated as I really would not like to make any mistakes to beat myself up about. TIA

 

Well done! Your garden is looking lovely, a big improvement.

When are your shrubs due to arrive? You still have plenty of time, it's only September. Autumn and also spring are good times to plant perennials but it you plant in autumn make sure the plants are big enough to manage winter and slugs. Autumn is also the best time to plant shrubs, but I usually do it in October/November.

Tulips shouldn't be planted before November because there can be a risk of a disease called Tulip Fire. Daffodils can be planted from now until December.

 

I know how you feel, it can be tricky trying to strike the balance between making your display last for as long as possible and trying to plan ahead for next year.

@Busy-Lizzie is right, you can plant the shrubs as late as early November as long as the ground isn't frozen or waterlogged.
The usual advice is to plant/divide at this time of year, but in my experience it's a lot milder now into late October than it was say 30 years ago.

I would try and get the perennials moved by mid October as the soil will be warmer.

If you know where your shrubs are going to go, maybe take a look at what is there at the moment. There is plenty of advice available on here as to the best thing to do, so don't be afraid to ask.

If you have annuals in the ground I would sacrifice them first, and prioritise planting the shrubs and perennials in those locations if that's your plan.

May I say, you have made a lovely job of everything so far .