How should we replace this small stone area?

[MonteCristo]

The previous owners of our house had a small stone area surrounded by slabs that they used for a washing line. We don't have any need for this and would like to replace it either by extending the flower bed or returning it to lawn. Does anyone have a feel as to what might look better and - if extending the bed - what to plant there?

 

[Tetters]

Only just spotted your post @MonteCristo

What a brilliant opportunity to pinch a bit more ground... for one thing, to answer your question, I think your border would be much more interesting if you made it a fair bit wider to include where the washing line was- not necessarily straight edged, but curvy with a curvy path that disappears around a corner.
Right down there at the bottom of the garden needs an arch of some kind, fairly wide and opened out to give a clear view of the fields and trees beyond.
The easiest and most economical plants to choose would be perennials, and the best time to plant them is now. At the back of the bed you have the opportunity to plant climbers - maybe a rose, some honeysuckle and a clematis or two. You could choose an early flowering clematis and a late one maybe to give flowers at all times......again all these are best planted now.
A few small shrubs planted around the child`s playhouse would make it a more exciting place to go and play in.

 

[Sean Regan]

Hi and welcome.

It's an ideal opportunity to start to create something like this, but on a bigger scale, as I think your garden is at least twice as long as ours.
We've three quinces planted against the fence. The foliage forms a band about two feet high along the top part of the fence so hides a lot of it.

The rest is all azaleas and rhododendrons, one camellia and a couple of acer palmatums. Plus a few cyclamen in the front of the borders and a hell of a lot of bluebells. We hid the back fence with a bamboo forest (only a foot deep), there's a small acer and one of our five wisterias in front of it. A sambucus in a big tub hidden by more azaleas makes a central feature.

No bedding plants, haven't the time for them.

We avoided straight lines, a curved border makes it more interesting.

What you see is the result of a long term plan.

We've tried to make our garden as interesting as possible, by creating features that draw the eye as the garden is less than 90ft long and 30 feet wide at the maximum.

But it all takes time.

 

[Tetters]

The above gorgeous garden reminds me to mention that your soil needs to be acid for the above lovely planting. It`s always best to check before you start.