...Sensible suggestions please.? Some alternative to winter flowering pansies perhaps, I would be happy with attractive foliage if nothing else occurs.

try primroses as they come in all different colours and they last all spring.

Maybe amaryllis bulbs would be great to beautyfie your garden they sell them at stores like: wal-mart, lowes, home depot, loblaws, food basics etc... They have some beautyful ones avaiable like: picotee, double dutch, charmeur, benifica, white chrismas, rilona, minerva.