Gardening advice

Civlov12345

I am a complete novice to gardening and would appreciate some advice on planting a new garden. I have an area approx 10 x 15 ft that used to be a rockery covered in bushes and a few trees. These were nearly all cut down and pulled out before I moved in. I would like to replant the area and need some advice on types of plants, numbers of plants required.

Ideally, I would like to have daffodils bluebells etc. in the spring and other seasonal flowers/plants growing as the year progresses such as Ivy’s, ferns maybe a small crab apple tree, Foxgloves and Crocosmia?? I like the idea of mainly Irish plants in the area. I would like to have colour all the time (Spring Summer Autumn)

The area is north facing sheltered by the house, but most parts get some or partial sun in the evening. The rocks are large limestone rocks partially covered in moss.

Can I plant all of these together? will I just have a load of dying plants while others are trying to grow and so make the whole thing look a mess?

Any advice is appreciated. I have done some googling, but I don’t know where to start, there is nearly too much information out there.

I can’t seem to attach any pictures of the area at present but will try again later.

As I said I am completely new to gardening other that planting a few flowers in pots, so I don’t know if any of this is possible so go easy if it’s not.

Thanks

macraignil

Sounds like you already have a good idea of what you would like to plant. The ivy and the ferns should be fine in a shady spot but maybe crocosmia would do better with more sun. They are fairly vigorous though so you should get some sort of display from them but I would put those in the sunnier part of your patch and the shadiest maybe for the ferns you like. Look into the full grown size of the plants you are getting so you have an idea what space they will take up so everything is not too squeezed together when it matures. What you plant will also create some shade and there is no point planting the smaller plants at the back where they can't be seen. Also be aware that too many small plants in a small area can make it look cluttered and sometimes a smaller number of bigger plants can be better in a restricted space. Some shrubs will have nice evergreen foliage colour so will give some interest to the area throughout the seasons like pittosporum tom thumb. Posted some video clips of my own garden showing flowers associated with particular months in playlists for each month in case it helps fill any gaps in the flowering season for the flowers you select.
Happy gardening!

looksee

Try not to mix them up too much. Daffodils and bluebells (especially the Spanish Bluebells, don't use them) will look untidy for about 2 to 3 months after they have flowered, but you really can't cut them back. So plant them but keep them in a group so that you can deal with other stuff and leave the wilty leaves until they are finished.

All the stuff you have listed would be good, add honeysuckle, violets, and anything else that normally grows in a woodland setting as they will be happy in shade. I have a big clump of monkshood on a north wall that looks great.

Go easy on the ivy, it can take over, though depending on circumstances can make very nice ground cover. And be cautious with the crocosmia (the montbretia) it is pretty but it can be a pest, so don't let it run away - it does tend to get itself into other plants - again I have a big clump of large daisies and the stuff is coming through, no way of getting rid beyond pulling each individual stalk of crocosmia, the bulbs are still there though. And it is not native.