Courtyard Garden Planning

We've started looking at options for the biggest bed in the courtyard garden so I spent a good part of the day with my nose in this book by Christopher Lloyd, the gardener.  His garden, Great Dixter, which was his family home, draws visitors from across the globe.  His style of planting is quite different from a traditional calming harmonious English garden.  He experimented with bold colour putting plants together that one thinks aren't going to work.  But they do, to dramatic effect.  Famously he ripped out Lutyens' rose garden to make space for an 'exotic garden' in which he would experiment with plant combinations intended to create a tropical effect.  So I'm wondering about suggesting we go all out hot and exotic!

In the morning we met our friends P & K for coffee - they've just become grandparents.