Your garden is not overgcrowded at all--in fact there's plenty of ground showing, but it is shapeless. You might do better to look at plants that have texture contrasts in leaf shape and size as well as contrast in plant shape. A little variety in foliage color might help too--perhaps a purple leafed shrub. Flowers should be secondary. And a groundcover that spilled over and softened the stone would be very nice.

Since the area is so small, I'd go for one small-medium sized shrub, and work the rest of the contrast around that.

Currrently - here is what is in there:

Nova Zembla Rhod and a small azalea - towards the back.
2 Stella Daylillies
2 Autumn Joy Sedum
2 Salvias (1 white overgrown and 1 purple)
mountain pinks (not sure of the name - but this is tiny just some shoots.
A few Atom Gladiolus Bulbs

So maybe I should take out the azalea - and move that to the other side of the house and then plant something with some variety f color leaves.

I am glad that you don't think its overcrowded - but I think I my move the salvia - it just doesn't "stand up" and looks so messy.

any other suggestions..

thanks so much lacey

I'm not clear how large the bed with the rhodi, azalea, sedem, daylilies, salvias, pinks, and gladiola is, but the problem sounds more like too many types of plants rather than too many plants. Some of us do that on purpose--like me--but it does have a tendency to look messy. So, first of all, follow your instinct and remove the salvia (and possibly the azalea). Put them in a holding place, if you think there might be somewhere "wilder" they would work.

Now, try to get this bed working well, keeping in mind that one or more of these plants will also be repeated in the area you have not yet tackled. You might try the rhodie, daylily, and sedem. What I'd be suggesting is that you purchase an additional 'Autumn Joy' and daylily. Something like 3 daylily, 3 to 5 sedem, and the rhodie?

Note: If this is really a partial shade bed, then the daylily and even the sedem will do okay. Too shady might explain why your salvia tipped over. If we're talking shade, then you may want to adjust your choices over time.

The real point here isn't which plants you choose, but that you play with reducing how many types you have. Since you already have some sedems and daylilies, see if repeating them helps. To add to the game, note that while these three plants have quite different foliage, they all have what is called a mounded form. What would change, for better or worse, if you used some sort of prostrate or spilling form instead of either the daylily or the sedem?

So, you've come up with a composition of 3 or 4 plants that work well in this first bed. Tell yourself that one or two of these plants will be repeated in the first section of the bed on the other side. Wherever I came across this technique, the designer suggested working on longer beds in sections. I'm sure that's not what the pros do, but I find it makes the task less overwhelming. So just deal with the first 8 feet. As that begins to work, you'll get clearer about how it will all pull together.

So I'm going to say that in your original bed you kept your rhodie, increased the sedem, and found a prostrate evergreen or perennial form that you like. In the first section on the other side repeat the rhodie, the prostrate form, and add back in the daylilies, increasing the number of daylilies as needed, using a minimum of three.
Tweak what you have done so far, and then work on the next 8 feet or so.

Again, I find this hard to do not really knowing your conditions, but I hope that gives you some idea how to go about planning these beds.

Wellspring

wellspring~ Actually, that is exactly what the pros do, they repeat plants from one side to the other, they work in manageable sections, they concentrate on matching the plants to the growing conditions, they look for contrasting plant forms as well as leaf sizes and shapes, texture and bloom.

roorezzi~ I don't think your planting is overgrown at all. In fact, I really like it. I agree about the salvia, it looks like that in part shade, mine look like that. It's tighter in sun. So maybe you could plant some with the hydrangea next to the driveway? My advice, pick a few plants you love, and repeat them in groupings on either side of the front door, and the driveway planting. Use a variety of shrubs as background plants, repeating one or two in each section. So far it looks great, relax and take a bow! Enjoy the process...

wow - wellspring - thanks so much for the great advice.

I think that tackling that long bed 8 ft at a time is much more manageable.

Prarie - thanks so much. I was never into gardening until we got a house. I enjoy it now. I do like trying to make lower maintenance beds and finding different plants. that will come together. I will definetely be moving the salvia to a sunnier spot and find either another sedum or daylily to replace. And also consider moving the azalea - I think over time I will have to move it anyway - b/c I don;t think there is enough room for all of it. I will try and measure it tomorrow.

Thanks again.

I have been working along the driveway as well and I have a bunch of small hostas,small daylillies, and small sedum plants that will hopefully get bigger down there. Then at the end of the driveway we have an oak and I put a huge rock underneath - we have the flag on the tree and I planted a few plants down there that I had gotten from my mo . I think there beebalm, phlox, coreopsis, some kind of sedum (low-growing) and then I have some small sedum and hens and chicks towards the front. I will have to take a picture. it is still a awork in progress and they were small specimens that my mom dug up and brought over. But overall its a nice welcome at the end of the driveway.