choosing plants: advice for beginner?

Hi - we have a small front garden. Well, it's really a strip of grass behind some railings, the typical type outside your red-brick Dublin terrace. I haven't measured - but say maybe 10 feet (max) by four feet. Anyway, we don't want to keep the grass as it needs mowing all the time and that's too much work for such a tiny plot. So we plan to dig up the grass and plant it. We want fairly low maintenance, but with some flowers too, not just dullish shrubs. Our ideal would be a 'cottage garden' look but we think that might be too much maintenance. It's north facing, and probably clay type soil. Anyy ideas from anyone with a similar type garden? (Garden is a bit of an exaggeration!) Thanks.

While you are waiting for replies here you could ring www.futureforests.net and see what advice/prices they have.

P.S. No connection with Future Forests other than to see many recommendations on AAM.

this is what I did for my mother in law with a similar type garden. got rid of all the grass then made a small shrub bed(put down weed preventer sheet first) then planted up lots of tubs of flowers they can be moved around till you get best effect, try wallflowers, sweet william, stocks, poppies all can be grown from seeds, be sure to have a pot of NIGHT scented stocks near your door the perfume is great at night time.(a packet of seeds grow quickly and go a long way)
You might like to get a small trellis and plant sweet pea up your wall, also if you have any sunny spot in garden with a seat get a cheap arch and plant a few climbing roses, enjoy.

If it's north facing and that small chances are it gets very little sun. This makes it easier in some ways because it restricts the selection of plants. Grass is not great in a north facing area because it tends to get mossy. If you go to a garden centre they should be able to recommend suitable plants. For easy maintenance and low cost look at things like fatsia and berginia, fatsia is evergreen and has big exuberant looking leaves. Berginia is also evergreen a dark green colour with redish tinge and pink flowers this time of year. Variagated ivy is great for ground cover to keep the weeds at bay and if there is part that gets a bit of sun there a lots of good fushias to choose from. Scrape the grass off the top, dig in lots of farmyard manure (can buy in bags from garden centre) a bit of sharp sand would also be good if its heavy clay. Water the plants until they are settled in. On a north facing plot weeds shouldn't be too much of a problem, putting in a weed barrier means you cant add compost. A good 3 - 4 inch layer of bark mulch will keep it looking tidy.

Very good advice from Ramble. Go to a garden centre and explain orientation, soil type etc as you did here and print out Ramble's suggestions! Fatsia would look great, it doesnt mind north facing [I know, I have one], also ivy. I'd steer away from tubs though because they rely completely on you for watering - no, rain water isnt nearly enough. Dont forget some bulbs. I know its not the time of year for planting daffodils or tulips but your garden centre will advise on bulbs that can be planted at any time of the year. If you live or work near Dublin city centre Mr Midleton on Mary St are excellent.

Thanks everyone - very helpful. Made a bit of a start on digging up the grass this evening - not that easy. It looks like there'll be lots of roots and bits and pieces stuck in it when we've finished. I note Ramble's advice about not putting down a weed barrier, but what about putting one down for 6 weeks or so just to kill off what's been dug into the soil?

You can cover the area with black plastic for a period to kill what's there but this will not kill all perenial weeds (like dandilions, bindweed etc) the only way to get rid of these without a lot of chemical (which will also stop plants growing), is to rake through the soil and get all the bits and roots out. This is time consuming but well worth it. Even if you miss a few if you keep the soil well dug (ie manure or the like well dug in once a year) they are easy to pull out but you need to get the whole thing out because they will grow again from even a small piece of root. Once you get going with the planting, weeds become less of a problem because the right plants for the spot will thrive and crowd them out.