Would the garden be for staff or for clients, or both? Small table & chairs for eating lunch, or benches for relaxing conversations? Visible from inside waiting room, offices, ?

Regardless, I always appreciate a business that cares enough to beautify the outdoors. Even a simple low maintenance perennial border makes me feel like the business would care about doing a good job for me, too.

Pictures would help.

I think workplace gardens is very nice :) I also think that seating in a work garden is good, helps make people want to use the garden. Birdbaths can be fun. Ornamental grasses and many kinds of bushes can fit the bill for giving some privacy in a smaller space.

Pics would help. Where abouts are you for what you can grow would help too.

Thank you!

Here is a picture - to give context, the carpark was to my back when taking the picture and the building is to the right. It’s not visible from reception but can be accessed from reception (through a solid door).

That is good to know about the message a tidy garden sends to our clients. I thought so but it's nice to have confirmation!

Oh, I hadn't considered a bird bath! There are lots of birds around here so it would be a great idea. It might also bring focus to the garden.

Best,

Paint the picnic table, add a birdbath. Maybe add a couple of potted plants? Keep it
Simple.

I’m assuming you are in the UK. imo that is already a pretty good garden. Don’t make it any fiddlier to maintain. You need something simple which people can keep tidy wthout too much effort. Paint the picnic table, add some bird feeders and the bath, and enjoy the greenery you already have. You could plant something like a Chaenomeles in front of the shed wall. It is bulb planting time so small daffodils like Minnow, Tête-à-tête, February Gold or triandrus would look good in the grass round the tree, as would crocuses. Remove the stake and the tight ties from the cherry tree.

Oh my goodness, thank you all so much! I've talked to my boss about the ideas and shown her the picture and she loves them. We really like the private and cozy feel that all the shrubs bring to the space!!

We are actually in NZ! That's partly why I love the idea of adding in a bird bath - so many lovely native brids here.

But daffodils are lovely and I'm told they are quite fuss-free which is nice ...

Quick question for anyone who wants to answer - if you were a client, do you think you would wait in the outside space rather than reception in the summer? Or should the garden be more visual?

Thanks for everyone's help:)

Outside for sure if there was a comfy & shady space to sit & nice things to look at & lovely scents. Of course, I’d want to be assured someone would come fetch me when my massage time is due!

Ha, ha ha. I got that wrong! The light, the grey sky, the daisies in the lawn, the mossy flag stones, all look very British😃.

I like how Doug's rendering adds more layers of plants and adds some interesting textures and colors. I think a tidy little garden with some flowers, shrubs, trees, and well-maintained furniture woud be a lovely place for a rest for the employees and give a nice impression to patients. New furniture, maybe a table and chairs would be a nice improvement, though you could just paint the picnic table if you're on a budget.