Now that I look at pictures and think back, it did get white flowers like the Sorbaria sorbifolia...

Campanula, I think I understand your perspective of the fragrance of roses in comparison to sidewalk stoppers like Honeysuckle and for me, Star Jasmine. I sit in a bullpen (well, not with Bull's so much - maybe a few ) for the better part of my weekdays. So my weekly enjoyment of my garden is in multiple vases (geek vases - like Olive and Honey glass jars) on my desk. Our bullpens are about 16'x16' with 4 people in each corner - no cubicles per se, to entice geeky non typically communicating people to talk to one another about designs, issues, etc. Then bullpens connected to more bullpens, loop. The barriers are low and clear, so we can all see one another. It is quite cool. My roses intoxicate our entire bullpen, and waft into others. Thankfully my guy geek companions don't mind them. Yesterday I had 3 vases. I bring in one a day during blooming season (most of the year here), and am finding more fragrant roses that will last long in a vase, so the vases start accumulating. I have found that although I have many gorgeous non-fragrant roses, that for inside, while all my other senses are fully engulfed in coding, that my nasal senses get to experience something else. The fragrant roses bring me so much joy during my work weeks. I'm loving the new ideas from this thread. I've looked up each one I don't have. So far the ones that have knocked me a little silly are Sheila's Perfume and Radox Bouquet (oh, that photo Kittymoonbeam - I'm drooling). Think I am going to add PJPII due to this thread and this forum, and as I'm looking all these sumptious pinks, forgot I need to add one I'm surprised I never bought, which is Memorial Day. I said I was going to stop around 80. Then the gophers came and I almost quit. Now 60% of my roses are caged, the rest slated for caging soon now that the weather has cooled down. And I see myself hitting the century mark in numbers by spring. Fighting the gopher fight really reinforced my passion. It has allowed me to SP roses when prior I was a steadfast non SP'er. Who wants to go through the work of digging up and caging a rose one doesn't like? The iterations of our lives and our gardens is really a marvel...

Lily- Congrats! It's a beautiful house and land...and I'm so happy for you. Is that you sitting on the chair with the view? As for the yard, the good thing about patchy grass is that it will be easier to remove and replace with gardens! LOL Is the top soil very good? Sometimes a builder will just spread dirt over the area, without topsoil...and nothing wants to grow. That (hopefully) free manure could really come in handy. Definitely take your time planning! Do you still have the dogs? Where do you plan to have their area? Everywhere or only out back? That makes a difference on your design, too. I love the idea of a pergola...and a pond! Depending on the light and wind patterns, I would probably put the roses in the front and add some perennials and shrubs to give it a bit of a cottage feel...but a little more formal. That's where the grass paths can really help and give you a place to walk through the gardens and have a few benches to sit down and enjoy the fragrances! I would also put climbing roses on the pergola...you'll have a mild enough winter (normally) that they should do very well! I'm so excited for you! You have to give us updates and a lot more pictures :)

Looks awesome! It is fun hearing people get excited about their projects so I had to respond. Thanks for that! Hang on to this and other inspirational images so you have a soothing reminder of what is yet to come when you get frustrated with the process! It will be great!