Don't know where you are located, so difficult to suggest specific plants. I'd suggest visiting a local garden center and checking out their plants suitable for part shade......lots of possibilities. Another suggestion is to visit any public gardens in your area and see what they grow in a similar setting.....most will have plants labeled. Get rid of the plastic landscape fabric and remove any weeds -- that's always the first step in considering revamping any new planting area. And I'd focus on tough shrubs. These will provide structure and year round presence, many offer flowers or fall foliage color as well and will tend to need less attention (good for a new gardener with a self-professed black thumb!) than fussier and often more demanding perennials. Pretty much all they will need is attention to watering. Mulching after planting - more pine straw is fine - will help to conserve soil moisture and keep weeds down. Also, investigate whatever classes local nurseries or garden centers may offer. These are typically free and are a great way to gain gardening information. Joining a local garden club will help too.

No, Ive just updated my site lol! When I listened to the advice of others I decided against having a child - when I told Jason he felt he couldnt stay with me as he wanted a child so much. I call it shallow love after 5 years, so I said goodbye to him and hoped he found happiness. So don't worry, the child business is over and I certainly won't be getting into another relationship with that young a person lol! Thanx for your advice - it certainly opened a can of worms which I'd rather go through now then much later Hugs Michele Here is a link that might be useful: A Touch of Poetry

I love your antique trunk - that will certainly help set a country/cottage mood. It's really useful too, since it can be a coffee table or a media stand, or a side table. Also interesting that your sofa back is sort of a reverse Camel back. If it works, I'd like to see the sofa on the wall without windows, so that the straight line of the window sill does not compete with the reverse curve. Your rug is pretty and colors are a close match to sofa, but it is rather small. Would it work in your entry way instead? Remember to make your bench cushion 4-5 inches thick. Right now the only pattern that you have is from the afghans. It will be easier to furnish the room after you introduce a pattern or two. I'd probably start with patterned draperies, because they'll have a big effect. Then you can either choose a subdued rug or layer more pattern. Same with the upholstery for your chairs. I love quilts on the wall, but I think your afghan would probably stretch out too much, so I'd continue to use them as throws instead. As others have suggested, take it slowly - you'll have a better result, and hopefully it's more enjoyable too.

Change out you siding with hardi board. Add a porch roof like the pic.posted that partically follows the roof line to camo. the fact that the roof is wider on one side. Starting at the new porch roof edge add a wide trim board that goes across to the other wall., where the main roof meets the side wall and use hardi shingles above in a different color than the body of the house. Consider nicer window upstairs. I cann,t see the total slope of your yard put it looks like you have enough slope to put in a rock retaining wall. Add a few semi large focal rocks above and some low growing evergreens and a nice stone walk way and multch . Add something like river rock and easy care plants down in front of the rock retaining wall and you probly have the nicest house on your block and it would all be easy upkeep if you use the right plants and multch.If your able to do it your self all that should be less than 3000. We did alot of the same stuff with ours this last year and consider it a learning exp. as well as sweat eguity.