Planting for a north facing cremation plot

My wife sadly died two months ago and her ashes have just been buried in our local churchyard. The plot is on the north side of a hedge and as well as room for a foot wide trough of plants, as it is in the first row, there seems scope to plant some bulbs in the yard or so between the plot and hedge. Someone else has already planted what I think are little cyclamen which seem to be thriving. As I do not know a great deal about gardening and particularly winter plants, I am appealing for some suggestions.
What could I plant in the trough that would give colour over the winter months? (Suggestions for other seasons also welcome.).
Recommendations for bulbs and plants in the north facing piece of ground in front of the hedge. I think I have left it too late to plant snowdrops - am I better wait for spring now before planting?
Any help and suggestions much appreciated

 

Hi Bobster64 - my sympathies - I went through the same loss back in May, but our local cemetery does not allow plants, it just grasses over apart from the headstone. If the cyclamen are the winter flowering ones (hederifolium), then you could extend the season by cyclamen coum which flower (pink, white) in early spring and also have lovely coloured leaves. You could have winter aconites producing lovely shining yellow flowers in February. You can get little pots of bulbs (snowdrops, miniature iris etc) already growing from garden centres, and they should settle quickly.

 

Hello @Bobster64 , so sorry for your loss, but a big to the corner, you never know, maybe we will persuade you to be an avid gardener too.
A good way to ensure that there is something flowering all year, would be to buy a small flowering perennial plant each month of the year. In 12 months there should be enough to make a permanent continuing display.

 

My condolences to you @Bobster64.

We have a similar issue with my Mum's plot , but I think it's a bit smaller. If you're not sure then maybe a good idea is to go to a Garden Centre or similar each month and see what's in bloom.

A warm welcome to the forum.

 

Marley, doesn't Daphne require full sun? This plot is on the north side of a hedge

 

Well - I`m learning all the time Marley. I have never had much success with any of the Daphne varieties I`ve tried. Maybe the soil requirements ?
I think the one I have is ''aureomarginata'' or something like that, and although it has survived, the leaves always look a bit yellow.
I tried to grow ''mezureum'' but it died