Well, this process works well for me because I've been doing something similar (although maybe not on such a grand scale as you) all summer long:

I do an evaluation plant by plant and ask the question:
Is it something I just want gone or might it work better in another location?

Start with the plants you want gone. Just get rid of them. Don't fret about it, just do it. The more space you open up, the more you start seeing the possibilities.

The plants you THINK you want to save:
Where would they work better? Do you REALLY have another location for them or should they stay in this bed - just another part of the bed? If you honesty don't have another spot for them, get rid of them. For instance, maybe something is just too large for any of your beds or it doesn't work in your climate or you have shade and it needs sun. Then get rid of it. Again, open up more space.

Can you move plants now? If so, start doing it once you've figured out a location and if weather permits. If not, take some notes - plant by plant and do it in the proper season - this fall, next spring.

Don't rush through this process. That's where you make mistakes and bad decisions. Again, the more space you open up, the easier it is to see the possibilities. It's very strange, but ideas strike me at the oddest times. I might be watching TV and suddenly it occurs to me: "Oh, I know where plant X should go!" The next time I'm out in the garden, I move it or make a note as to where it should go eventually.

Take some photos, so you can do some planning this winter. You may not get everything done this summer or fall, but winter is a great time to plan - when you're not so rushed.

Right now, I have one bed completely cleared out and lots and lots of holes - big and small throughout my garden where I've dug out plants. That's fine. I have some ideas as to what is going in those holes this fall, but others can wait until I've had more time to think about it. I'll do that this winter and next spring. Sometimes you just need to take a break from the whole process and come back to it with a fresh set of eyes.

Again, for me it's really an evaluation process - plant by plant, by plant.

Kevin

After reading your post I immediately thought of Colonel Saito in 'Bridge on the River Kwai'--'Let us be happy in our work' was his mantra. I can't help you rearrange or revitalize your garden beds but I'd suggest you make a list of what makes you happy so you can plant more of that in place of what's making you unhappy.

As far as prioritizing, I've always made curb appeal my #1 top goal. Not just curb appeal to folks walking/cycling/driving past on the road but what pleases MY eyes. At the moment I'm loving my blue & white balloon flower, rudbeckia, rose of Sharon, ornamental grasses, tall phlox, turtlehead, buddleia, Echinacea & agastache. Do what pleases your eye. Do it in baby steps if need be.

My garden plan has been, from the very beginning, "as long as it takes." Have I achieved my vision? Almost. I like what's finished and don't worry over much about what still needs to get done.

I start by making a scale drawing, then put in the main, backbone plants. These are often large plants that aren't easy to move like roses or baptisia. Then rearrange the other plants that are going to end up in the bed on paper. Then do half in the spring, and do a bit more when the weather cooperates. At the same time, bring in a truckload of manure or whatever because you get another shot at the soil.

It sounds like a fair number of plants just plain need divided. That's the usual reason otherwise solid plants open up in the middle. Even if you keep the same general design, beds have to be reworked every few years.

So far, Kevin's approach resonates with me the most.Some of these, like old Knock Out rose, I thought about moving to another space, because I don't want to be "wasteful." But it is 15 years old and it doesn't owe me a thing, nor do I owe it!

In our old house, I loved gardening in the front.I liked talking to people and getting compliments and providing passerbys with some beauty. This garden is really in the back and not visible to the street.
Ah, the scale drawing route. To those to whom this comes naturally, it might be inconceivable that it is nigh well impossible for others, like me. A scale drawing means nothing to me, I literally don't 'see' anything meaningful. A plan on paper does not take root in my imagination.I am jealous of people who can translate something flat into three dimensions.
Because I have always had strabismus, I have never had depth perception. Perhaps that has had some effect, but I'm more inclined to think it is an aspect of artistic imagination that isn't well developed in me!But you are absolutely right about dividing....and I'd add renewal pruning of some big shrubs....in the spring.
I also appreciate the advice to slow down.I took it to heart today after work.Instead of rushing out and moving big things, I just worked on planting some little plants that have been in pots for months, transplanting and watering quietly. Yes, I also have the aha! moments at the oddest times. It is important for me to allow the space for that to happen.I think that was the aha! for today.
Thanks for the ideas so far....

This time of year seems to have everyone at a lull with their gardens. Mine has some really nice spots but unless it rains the crispy dry spots bore me and drain my enthusiasm. I totally agree with what's already been said, it's your garden and you're the boss! Rip out that hydrangea and ditch the rose, rip out the iris and save three or four if you want a new clump. An empty space will inspire you far more than any plan (especially if your not a drawing board type.... I still am)
A garden renovation is ten times more difficult if you try and save, gift or move all the "perfectly fine" plants. IMO those plants make perfectly fine compost! Plus fresh cuttings and divisions are easier to work with so you may not want to even bother moving anything big and instead work on getting some babies going.
So start ripping. Unless a particular plant was a gift from great-great-great grandma it should be replaceable.... just in case you get some weeder's remorse.
I feel like I've seen some really nice pictures of your garden in the past, and I suspect your "boring" garden might be a lot nicer than you're letting on! But still if you're not happy with it.....

It may--or may not--help you to check out some garden design books from the library. You don't have to replicate the shape or contents of the beds in the photos but you might get some ideas for things you'd like to add/subtract in your own beds.

I think one thing to consider would be to decide whether or not your current garden design pleases you before you consider its contents. Does the location, placement, shape & contour make you smile? If not, why not? Feel free to ask the folks on this forum for opinions/comments.

You may not be able to envision your revitalized garden beds but I'm sure you won't lack for suggestions from folks on this forum. I never asked for feedback on what I had pictured in my mind because it was crystal clear from the moment I moved here. I set out to plant beds that fulfilled my vision/goals and now I have them. Are they exactly as I'd pictured them in my head years ago? Absolutely not, but they're close enough and I know that as time goes on I can adjust them until they do.

My garden has been a work in progress, with good years and bad years influencing how the plants perform from one year to the next. I rejoice in the successes & accept the losses since I didn't consciously cause them. Once I plant something, it's no longer up to me whether or not it thrives. I just alter my vision of what a bed should look like and then take steps to help it look like that.

I'm pretty confident that what I leave behind as a legacy will please whoever comes after me but in the meantime I'm also happy with what I've accomplished. Maybe think about that while you're re-designing your garden.

I'm with Mad -- backbones first. The bones are what hold everything visually and tie everything together. When I think bones, I think trees and shrubs, including evergreens.

I would try to image the bones w/o anything else - if that looks good, it all will fall into place. If you're not good with mental imagery, then a drawing/sketch will help, or wait until the garden dies back in the cold season and see what it all looks like. A well-done design will look good even when all the greenery is gone, and that's important in colder zones, to me at least - I still want to enjoy the view even when the skies are grey, the air is cold, and the winter seems much too long...

Once you've got that down, think about areas that need improvement - was there an area you'd like to block from view and that needs work, or are plants obstructing an area you'd like to view? What else can you remember in terms of what you want to "fix" visually or plants you made note of that would look good in a certain area - can you remember any mental notes you made about such thing? If so, jot them down and see if you can work into your new plan.

From there, start filling in - I know how to do it to achieve the effects I want, I just don't know how to describe how to do it :0/

I also agree if you don't love it or it doesn't make you happy or just plain gives you too much grief, too high maintenance, pest/disease issues, etc --> out with it.

I got dem bones. A nicely curved 4 foot wall, good looking "smaarg/emeral green" arbs achoring three points, smoke bush,(which is determined to keep growing despite three hair cuts this season) chamy obtusa , azaleas pink (late may) orangey pink (June) , nine bark, rosa glauca. Several have gotten too big this season, and it is late to prune.
I really do need to take pictures, but I'm not a good photographer and all I have is my cell phone (excuses, excuses)
Got someone from free cycle coming friday to dig up the hydrangea, a rose start, the salvia. I'm casting an eye critically to see what else can go. (not the amsonia, not the sedums,not the geraniums, not the liatris, not the mini yak rhodies, not the penstemon Dark Towers... oh yes....some day lilies need to go...)
You folks make me smile. I haven't gotten advice in a long time, and I really appreciate it.Honest, you've lifted my spirits because you also made me think about what I do like)

Those sound like nice bones Marie. So you are in a good place with plenty of strong elements to work with. And yes, creating vacancies is a nice way to start, so you can visualize what's next.

My tactic when I have a partial re-do to tackle is to stare at it for a really long time. Eventually I'll envision some major changes, like moving a shrub or adding a new tree. Then I go inside and write it down with a little sketch. Then I build from there with a few more sessions of thinking and sketching. Once I've passed the wishy-washy stage I head for the nursery and re-plant a doable chunk. Then I go back to thinking and sketching. Often I forget what decisions I've made but I rely on the sketches. Once I've put a lot of time into thinking about it I try not to second guess myself.

I've done a lot of do-overs where I'm rearranging or replacing like 2/3 of the plants, which is tricky. It would be easier to have a blank slate. (However if I had gotten it right with the blank slate, I would be overhauling it now, would I?)

Another thought is that there's no rush - take your time and enjoy the process! Taking the old plants out is the hard part by far.

Keep us posted!

Have the bones really gotten too big, or did you not allow them enough space in the first place?

Marie, you have GREAT bones! That garden bed has a great start and I can imagine how nice it will look when you're done. I always thought it looked good to begin with, but I know what you mean when youre ready for a change. Do you think you'll mass perennials in groups? I would take the bed in sections kind of in-between the bones. If you have 6x6 area between 2 shrubs, then what do you want in that space to complement them? A couple smaller shrubs? A handful of perennials. The same? All different? Do you want some extra room for annuals for a riot of summer color? Those are some of the questions I pose to myself when I'm looking at an area. I always try to break down larger beds into smaller workable (for my brain) areas. i have a hard time figuring out a really large area all at once. I do usually jot down a few notes with thoughts about plant material for a particular section and then what might complement the next area of the bed and so on and so on.

And, the other question is, how much maintenance do you want going forward in that whole area.

I'll bring my felcos down in the spring and we can have a pruning party! I prune shrubs any time the mood strikes even if its the "wrong" time to prune, so if you want to do it this fall, count me in!! Just remember those mint brownies! LOL!

mad-g: I don't think they are planted too close together. some of them have been in 18 years.Everything except the smaargs have been pruned periodically, but I think the size crept upward and my sense of perspective and size just got used to 'large' and mislaid 'proportional.'And the mature size of a couple of things is bigger than I expected. I expected the chamy obtusa nana to be small-nana (like 7 feet tall and 4 feet wide) but is large-nana, more like 10 x 6. But it is beautiful and while I might be more assertive about pruning it, I would not discard it.
Each year for the last several I've gotten more aggressive about cutting back the smoke bush, advancing from a timid few inches to two feet last year. I'm working my way up to "chop" and "lop" for next spring to arrive at "coppice". I know if I have a drink I'll get up the nerve to just wack it back to a few feet.
As Ken would say, what's the worst that can happen? It could die and I'd have space for something else that would be easier in a mixed border.
Thanks, Susan.
I took pictures on my crummy cell phone today. I'll see what I can do to transfer them to photo bucket and up load them here.Then the fun will really begin!