I need help....

What a lovely view....you are so lucky. What way would the bed would be facing, would it get sun all day? is the ground boggy or loamy?

I'd be tempted to make a circular lawn (edged with brick or similar) from the patio area...maybe with a little brick or paved path leading to the gate, either from the other side of the circular lawn or curving around it... then the whole of the rest could be planted up. I wouldn't want to obscure the view too much...and if it gave too large an area to plant you could have a little sun patio..but what do I know.... it's nice to speculate...what fun you're going to have!

Have a play
www.smallblueprinter.com/garden/planner.html

Id follow the curves/lines of the fence and trees making the border deeper were the fence curves . Some climbers along the fence, shaded planting under the trees, a stepping stone path from the gate to the pergola.I like geraniums idea of the island bed too . (Maybe make it raised so you could sit around it? .

There is a bit in the paddock thats quite damp i am very tempted to make that bit a bog garden. I'll take a pic of it later on.

If the soil is difficult you could always build some raised beds. I do like the sound of a bog garden as well.... the world's your oyster

A real bog garden would be fantastic, Rosie! ;D I have bog plants on my stream bank, but not nearly enough room for all the ones I'd like.

I'm not suggesting this as a design, I'm using it as an example of how I use steps to arrive at a final design.

First you need to draw a plan of the area, it doesn't need to be exact but the closer you can get it the easier you will find it (I had to guess the area from your photos).


Next, have fun with shapes, scribble to your hearts content, you'll be surprised at what appears, don't stare at a blank sheet of paper.

I have used circles as an example. These make up the areas to be left as grass.


Finally, scribble again, join the shapes, add some details. I noticed a few trees/shrubs already in your garden, this is where you can include them if you want to.


I hope this has given you a starting point.