My soil is clay like, so is very dry in summer but soggy in winter. I am trying to add some plants and bushes to grow and spread to arount 3 ft . any ideas?d

[kelfoan]

[boxtops]

We've got clay on chalk, but we find most things grow in our garden. The parts which stay in shade are where we grow ferns and bamboo. Ferns would be the righ height and are very sturdy, we don't do anything with them except cut off the dead leaves after the frosts finish in spring. Bamboo is a bit tall (our is 8ft) but you can get miniature ones, and again we do nothing with it except chop it back when it thinks it would like to spread (which it does).

[rowanwitch]

Add some sharp sand and old compost into the soil and you will be able to grow a wider range,,,, Lysimachia would do well, but track down the purple leaved one as it is less invasive, sedum spectabile, persicaria red dragon, if you want a bit of height variation as keeping it all lowish might be a bit bland the prettier phormiums would be good, also ground cover roses, and the shasta daisies are tough as is lychnis coronaria, and crocosmias....some of the grasses would add interest, the green and white 'gardeners garters' has always been a favourite and theree isa dwarf golden bamboo that brightens up many a corner for me..