First, please excuse the mess but we are DIY both landscaping and also building a carport/storage at the same time. Did anyone tell me I was crazy???

A little bit about my plan - first was to use what I brought with me from our previous home, next to be viewed UP and OVER either way it's seen. Up over the taller things like the abelia and roses, etc. whether seen from the walk or from the bedroom windows. BUT, I feel like I need more bones, something big towards the end of the house or something tall for height. Some things I've wondered about are mop cypress, something tall (evergreen juniper?), a big old garden rose?? I've also considered some miniature juniper near the porch.

This area faces North and gets full morning sun and mid-day/afternoon sun with shade after about 4 PM depending on the time of year and the location in the garden. Our soil is like a giant sand box. We've ammended it with good manure and compost and organic fertilizer but I understand once sand nearly always sand.

Our next project is a flagstone path in the 'sand' area from the front porch towards the drive way. (Just past the camper). Can you help with ideas on which would look better with the flagstone path? Either grass on either side of the path for a soothing look and nice contrast with the house or enlarge the flower beds to meet the path? What would you do here???

I like a tame cottage garden look, not too cluttered but not formal either... maybe casual cottage. It will be primarily pinks and purples with some pops of color.

What I have from the left/back is: 2 abelia(which are planted too close together and need to be seperated and will get about 3-4 feet around and tall), several roses, (some antique and some modern tough) with 1 carypoteris behind (will plant 2 more with this one), phlox, 2 more abelia, purple cone flower, medium size grass, one gardenia (which I hear may not make it but I had to try) and at the far end a butterfly bush.

The camper was our home for 10 months while we looked at houses then built. We pulled it back up front a few days ago to be my moms vacation home while she's visiting from Maine next week. :)

In front from the left to right: agapantha, daylily, iris,lambs ear, a few lily, small grasses, more daylily and lambs ear, another row of agapantha, fall aster, and at the round end in front of the butterfly bush are 3 guara. I will plant several hibiscus near the guara as I like the looks of the different leaves and flowers together. I have seeds germinating to fill in such as shasta daisy, cone flowers, cleome and other things if needed but I feel it needs more 'bones', evergreen and something taller. I have a short white crepe myrtle which a friend suggested I plant towards the front of the narrow area.

The widest part of the bed is 14 feet. The narrow area is 8 or 9 but both can be widened.

I'd like to hear ideas and suggestions and THANK YOU in advance!

Sunny

This is the before pic. We feel we've come a long way but still have SOOO far to go!

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What we have now:

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This is the 'long' view. The close bed will be mostly old garden roses and daylily with a few other things thrown in. The bed on the right is hosta/shade under several 150 year old oak trees.

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