The garden gives us great pleasure for minimal time invested. It is meant to be low-maintenance - so, no grass to mow and no tomatoes to nip out. It faces north, so the shady part is really well suited for growing hostas, ferns and an enormous gunnera, while that part that gets some sun is good for roses and petunias. The usual bedding plants - pansies, geraniums, fuchsias and the like - don't seem to thrive here as well as the petunias, which have become a real favourite.