Somewhere here I want to put a Therese Bugnet & Morning Has Broken (and maybe a yellow knockout).

I was thinking maybe midway between the tree in front and the little one in back, but somewhat to the right. The MHB rightmost, the TB a little behind and left of it? What do you think?

(Click larger pic)

I think that remark was originally about model windmills and similar things, but it has also spread to include a lot of small beds. With one small bed around the ash tree, another around the dogwood, and a third with the roses, that's a lot of little beds. Then there is the question of what is on the other side of the yard.

You know that eventually the ash tree will get quite large, and the dogwood will top out at 15 feet or so. Eventually there will be quite a bit of shade there. The east-west orientation helps because for most of the day the sun will be coming from the south side. You will be getting close to full sun for a good five years or so until the trees start to create more shade in the morning and afternoon.

If it were my yard, I would create a garden bed connecting both trees in sort of a kidney bean shape and locate the roses in between the trees, as you had planned. Then you can fill up the rest with any companion plants as the conditions require, shade lovers around the trees and full/part sun lovers near the center around the roses. It will save mowing and maintenance headaches and really give a nice impact to your entrance.

BTW, I'm sure you know that Therese Bugnet wants to get quite large, it can be used as a short climber so plan for that. And from the photo it looks like there is too much mulch up against the ash tree trunk, make sure the mulch only comes to the bottom of the flare of the trunk or you could suffocate the roots. But that gets me off on one of my pet peeves, tree 'volcanos'

I have a mature dogwood in front of my house that used to be alone in the yard. I incorporated into a garden bed that is mostly shade plants. I just wanted to show you how you can create a garden that includes trees.

Linrose, what a lovely pic! What's the pretty golden-green plant that spills onto the path?

I think I will connect the roses to the dogwood. I don't know if I am allowed to mess with the ash trees -- they are hubby's babies. ;)