What would you do with this horrible front "garden" ?

Can't plant into the gravel, it's hard packed and goes down to Australia. And only us two old decrepit gardeners here. I've ordered two big planters - 3x3ft with a small trellis - from the local timber merchant and they arrive next week. But I'm not sure where to put them and how many others to get. South-west facing.
(We only have half the garden, next door has the bit off to the right - the boundary is the rone pipe on the wall. And she's a nightmare and we don't talk.)

 

What sort of trellis are they? Like a tower sort. And what are you planting in them?

 

Attached to the back of the two 3x3ft planters Perki, and 3ft high. The front is horrible, I'm ashamed to even post it but this summer mean to do something about it
Had so many plans and none worked out, so I've ordered the planters now and will have to work with them.

 

I'd like roses, and some creeping things hanging over the edges and some lavender etc as fillers in the middle. I think it would be best to put the boxes in various places and configurations to see what looks best - but if they are very heavy then we can't. (Hubby heart probs and me arthritis) The problem is not so much what to put in them, but where to put them!

 

That was my idea shiney. Husband favours putting them side by side along the slabs at the top, facing down to the camera. I thought maybe they would make that bit crowded and the rest would look bare and more horrible than before. I think were going to have to stagger around with the damn things to see how to place them - hope we can manage. But I can buy more planters, with or without trellis, after these and gradually cover it that way.

 

The godawful plants stuck in the gravel were meant to be the fabulous gravel garden... until we found the gravel was like cement and went down to a black membrane under which is yet more gravel. We gave up and decided on planters

 

I'd put the planters along the boundary and maybe get more to complete the line.
Then I would have a selection of pots some with a perennial in others with a changing array of plants, bulbs, dahlias, annuals and biennials; go for a variety of heights and sizes.

 

I think we've discussed your issues before fumanchu. I'd be inclined to build a raised bed over the whole lot so that it meets where your neighbours half is. That allows for any plants you wish and not having to worry about pots.

Internet image below to give you an idea....

 

This is a great help TYVM. The idea was to get raised beds/big planters yes sheal, but when it came down to it I thought oh god where and how many - then the husband didn't agree and had different ideas etc (as men are wont to do ) and I had doubts.
I think bigger planters would work out easier in the end than loads of pots, they take a lot of watering and renewing, and it would look more like a real garden that way. I do appreciate you lot, you never criticise or fall about laughing, you just offer helpful suggestions & ideas xxx I was quite ashamed to even post this pic, it's an utter mess!!
Drahcir she'd kick up hell if we put in a fence, she's complained to the council already about everything we've done in our own back garden - inc the shed that's 1m away from her boundary. And she complained about us parking our car on our own gravel there at the front - you can see the wheel in the pic above, its under our livingroom window and nowhere near her! Auld bat

 

A raised bed would be watered naturally by rain (most of the time) and with no base to worry about would drain easily, even with the gravel underneath. Plants in pots would have to be watered regularly and fed - planters would be the same. I say tongue in cheek, if your husband wants pots then he should look after them.

It doesn't matter how you try to please your neighbour, she is obviously one who will complain whatever you do. As long as what you decide on doesn't infringe on her ground and is pleasing to the eye then there's nothing she can do.

 

Would you like to move next door to me? We could give her an offer she couldn't refuse...

 

A nice idea fumanchu but that probably wouldn't work either.

 

Hi @fumanchu , first of all- your front garden is not horrible, it's actually neat and tidy. And I bet you are not spending a lot of time trying to keep it neat by constant weeding and mowing and mulching... that's a bonus.

Question: do you actually use the seats to sit out?

If yes, it might be nice to group the trellised planters around the side(s) to form a little, secluded feeling seating bay. Positioning the planter side towards the seat would allow you to see, smell and feel the lower planting right by your fingertips with the trellis part forming a green wall.

Seen that your garden is south- west facing, attractive herbs would be just the thing for all- sensory planting in the containers. Thyme and Rosemary are evergreen, very fragrant and flower well.

That leaves the problem of the neat, tidy and boring slated area where there is nothing to look at. @Sheal 's low, large raised beds could be a great solution, and with some planning, a pre-formed pond could sit in the middle. Add a solar powered fountain and a bird feeder and there would be a lot to look at from your lovely seats.

A very rough sketch using the low raised bed planters, with a small pre-formed pond in one of them:



Low, raised beds are reasonably priced and since the flat surface of slate you have is ideal, just need to be plopped in place and filled with compost/ soil.

When it comes to labour, if you have a high school nearby your front garden makeover could be an ideal project for some students. Assembling a raised bed and filling it up with compost would be a one-day job for a small team of students.

Do not despair, Fumanchu, you have a lovely space there to create something very pleasing