Who needs Chelsea Flower Show?

Since the weather has turned all summery, my thoughts have turned to beautifying our garden. Well, "garden" is a bit of a stretch; it's really a long side return that's been gussied up with some cobblelock and the sort of masses of evergreen planting last seen in Jurassic Park.

Now, I know that private outdoor space in rented accommodation is something of a luxury in London, but I think it's fair to say that ours is looking far from luxurious at the moment. My primary concern is introducing a bit of colour. The planting area that runs almost the full length of the garden would be the perfect spot to plant up if it wasn't where the Jurassic shrubs live, and I'm not sure there's much point trying to do anything in the shaded zone underneath them.

I might chuck in a few shade-tolerant Busy Lizzies, Begonias, or hardy Geraniums and see how they fare, but my master plan is to use containers and hanging baskets to break up the sometimes monotonous sea of green. By the front door, I envision a standard bay tree underplanted with hot pink and coral Busy Lizzies and maybe some trailing lobelia in a black Versailles planter for a shot of glorious summer colour everytime we leave or arrive home.

I'm rock 'n' roll, me.

{image sources: 1. Crocus; 2. GardenForum; 3. Classic Garden Elements}

The hanging baskets will be a trickier proposition, since there isn't really anywhere to put up a bracket. However, I have a cheeky solution: I think I'll just try to hang them from the holes in the girders of our upstairs neighbour's veranda. It overhangs part of our outdoor space and could definitely use some cheering up.