hi, We are having a family reunion this July, and on the first day we've planned a picnic for approximately 200 family members and friends. It will be held on the grounds of my weekend home that was built in 1912. so I decided to create an outside living room and dining room. and I wanted it to blend in with the greenery of the grounds. so what I did, was took old furnishings that I wasn't using or I had stored up and transformed them into outside furniture. for instance, I took an old sofa and had in upholstered in a durable canvass type white fabric that's for outside use. I even skirted the sofa. I then used throw pillows of different patterns but using color schemes of turquoise, apple green and yellow. i covered the chairs in patterns of the same colors. i purchase outside rugs in turquoise and white to set the cocktail table on and the dining table. i covered side chairs in bold coordinating fabrics using the same color scheme.. i painted the side tables and dining table, as well as picnic tables in white....using an oil based paint and sealing it with a clear poly coat. i painted the dining server in turquoise, and the dining chairs in a yellow...it looks amazing, fresh, tropical and timeless. so this is something you can consider for your outside space. Johnna

I've done most of the above advice (got a Japanese Maple in the hidden corner thanks North Leeds), am training grapevines up the back wall, lots of biggish similar mixed planters, I have some tomato plants climbing up the left wall and they are providing interest. Plus lots of herbs as they add both nice smells and are useful for cooking. I just need to figure out something to do with the floor which is old, horrible, cracked concrete. I'm considering painting it in a patterned effect or just tiling it, Mediterranean style. Bigger planters look much better than the small ones I originally had, it adds more impact and obviously allows for bigger, leafier plants.

The red robin's have gotten a little big and now block the windows. Does anything else flower wise come up at other times of year? It's only looking straggly due to the daff and tulip stalks, they'll need chopping off soon, and you would presume something else would come up to take it's place. It's difficult to have a perennial garden in a small space as you can't pack enough plants that come up at different times of year, however, it's not impossible. You could have a change and go for slabs and pots, easier to maintain, but don't forget that they'll need water every day in the summer. Do you like gardening? If you do, stay with perennials but plant with different level plants to give interest, and make sure you've got something there righ throught the growing season, plus some evergreen's for winter. If you don't like gardening, go for the pots. Acers, Hydrangeas and Hostas all do well in pots, but get big pots or barrells.

Thanks everybody. Really helpful advice and links. I think I will dig and plant in rather than trying pots. I previous didn't as around the house there is a good 20cm of concrete that meets the gravel. Hopefully this won't be much of an issue as it will grow over it as such. Perhaps some shrubs and different height plants in front of the house, and some other planting in front of the porch? I haven't thought of what in front of the porch yet. I will look into putting small hedging in front of the gravel. Fingers crossed that will bring it more to life than it looks at present!