Garden structure ...

Because of the irrigation plan, I would like the architectural elements in our front yard design to last a very long time, even if the planting scheme changes further down the track. So am happy to leave the selection of individual plants until the garden structure is laid out. We haven't really got much room in the front yard (approx 5.8m x 9m).

What I would like is a simple, formal garden with evergreen plants and shrubs.

I originally wanted just the lawn and then doing the rest later on, but with the irrigation having to be planned out according to plants/species, this can't work...

"Strong architectural lines, including a dominant axis and maybe several secondary axes, balanced with the softness of mass planting." - What exactly is the definiton of mass planting though? How do we achieve it in such a small space? Should we replicate the shrubs on the inside of the hedge for the garden bed in between the driveway and the fence? Should we also have a garden bed on the opposite side, near the fence?

"If trees and hedges form the structure of the garden, then shrubs are the filling required to make it all look like a garden. Shrubs provide substance and are often used as a backdrop to smaller feature plants. Without shrubs the garden looks incomplete - they are a vital layer needed to construct a good garden. For this reason they are nearly always evergreen."

"Keep in mind that shrubs tend to look good when used en masse, because their form on their own is not very striking. The general rule is the smaller the shrub the more you need to group together to form a mass."

Quotes are from Paul Bangay's Guide to Plants 2011.

B