What to do with ugly border at end of the garden

At the bottom of my garden I have a border which is the full length of the fence (around 5-6 metres) and about 30cm deep.

Currently this area comprises of a mixture of dead leaves, soil, a handful of weeds/wild flowers, some bamboo which has been cut back, a series of large ornamental stones, lots of smaller pebbles and a random pipe emerging from the ground. It all looks a bit unkempt.

Any thoughts on what could be done with this space to make it look better?

a) Leave the area as it is, but tidy it up and consider planting some flowers among the rocks/pebbles
b) Remove everything, flatten the area and create a fresh new border with new soil
c) Some other solution

 

If I remember correctly you will look directly at this border from the back of the house. I wouldn't keep the stones, but would have it cleared out to make a border fresh for planting. I would plant some evergreen shrubs at the back to give some year round interest, and some more colourful layered planting in front. Clumps of lupins and clouds of astilbe in front of the shrubs would give some summer colour, and you could add lavender, and bedding plants to brighten it up. I think you have a lovely garden with lots of potential, and I am sure you will get some great ideas from the very knowledgeable gardeners on here. Best of luck with it, and looking forward already to photos in due course!

 

Much to my shame - I've just purchased a ready grown border - this one:

Border Collection Three (2 x 2.6m) | J Parker Dutch Bulbs

All perennials so will just need tidying up each year.

If you have a look at this website - there are a couple of other 'border collections'.

The deadline for buying is the end of this week.

 

@Irmemac

You're right, the border will be visible when looking out from the back of the house. Flattening out the area at the back will take a fair bit of work but I think you're right - it's probably the best course of action.

Those large stones/rocks were inherited and TBH some of them are so big I won't be able to move them myself. But I think they're quite nice so I'm a little reluctant to throw them out. I'll see if I can perhaps use them elsewhere to make a feature in the gravel.

I feel as if I owe you guys some photo updates so have posted them to my earlier thread on which I received lots of great advice

How to create height and separation

 

The depth of this border is the main problem sandhun. There isnt space for shrubs.
I would clear it all out...hopefully the bamboo is not too established there.
A couple of climbers would look good there; according to how sunny it is and how warm would affect your choices

 

@Loofah see wide angle shot showing context (the border is right up against the fence).

@Verdun Hi, I've added a photo so you can see where the border is. Fair point about lacking space for shrubs. It does get full sun in the mornings but is in shade afternoon/evening.

 

Nice job Samdhun.
I would plant 4 or more climbers........trachelospermum, clematis montana, honeysuckle,(scented variety of course) clematis viticella (etoile violette is excellent), winter jasmine, summer jasmine and more will look great there

 

Fences at the end of a garden can look ugly. If possible grow something up it to hide it.

To hide ours I planted our "bamboo forest." (a mere 9" deep, but it creates an illusion of depth). I've tried to make this end bed look interesting by having plants that can be seen from a distance. When you actually get down there there's not a lot in it, mostly bluebells around now, some grasses, an azalea, a small acer, a hydrangea, a Sorbus tree and a wisteria trained up a dead tree stump.

I think it's also a good idea to have other features that draw the eye down the garden in stages, so that the end bit doesn't seem so "in your face."

 

The border at the back of the garden is in full sun for around 2 hours per day and after that, it's in shade for the remainder of the day. Since staring this thread I have planted a Rhodo, an Acer and a climbing Hydrenagea however most of the fence is still visible. I've recently emptied this rectangular planter (see image) and will use it to grow something up against the fence.

Dimensions, 100cm wide by 33cm deep

Can I fit a shrub in here or better off with some climbers suggested by the posters above?

ps: At the time the photo was taken the garden looked particularly sparse because I planted seeds in the borders and raised beds but nothing had sprung up back then.