Mine is much like yours before the makeover.
I've not bothered with any planting this year apart from some gladioli corms left over from last year.
Fortunately the globe artichokes, primroses and the campinola (?) can be relied upon to take the eye away from the rest of the jungle.
The "grass" is fighting a losing battle with the moss as usual but you can't really tell when it's been scalped.
Not sure what he was looking for in our suburban Yorkshire border but he didn't find it.