Charming! It would be nice to swing among fragrant blooms - maybe surround the swing or edge somehow with something like roses, honeysuckle or a vine to ramble over - sweet autumn clematis makes such a wonderful wall of vine and is nice to look forward to later in the season. But it's wonderful and I agree it is best to wait til you have the existing area finished so you don't block a view that you want to maintain. Love the big pots. I have a pair of big terra cotta pots on my front porch - mine were nothing fancy I just bought them at a local store but they've been there for 20 years and I don't even bring them inside in the winter - they site under the shelter of the roof so I just let them get bone dry before winter. I love the way they have aged slightly and I added the obelisk trellis things in them that have rusted to a nice aged quality. They are sortof between seasons right now I had them full of pansies earlier and now have added a big dahlia in the center and the licorice plant and purple salvias for summer. :) Big real terra cotta is a good thing, though. :)

That was so inspiring, Les, and melancholy at the same time. I could have written it all, had I the inclination and ability to articulate the philosophy as well as you did. It's taken me 22 years to understand what I've done wrong (plant Maple trees), and what I should have done (amend, amend, amend - I live where the 'soil' is like cement), and oh how I wish I could go back and start over. This was a new subdivision, a 'maintained' community of zero-lot-line homes, but I had to have my new house built on the corner lot because as the entrance to the subdivision, it had the most trees and was the biggest lot. Wrong choice. Being a corner lot, there are two berms so I've gardened on a slant. The trees on those berms are Scotch Pines which, after a few short years, started dropping pine cones and a good wind knocks off so many dead limbs that punch holes in the hosta that I cry. Scotch Pines have a lifespan of about 20 to 25 years. They're starting to die. Then there's the Emerald Ash Borer - those trees provided the dappled shade and are coming down - and oh, I almost forgot the sick ornamental fruit trees that drop yellow leaves starting in June because they were treated too late. Btw, no 'maintenance' people are allowed in here. I cut the grass, what little is left. And I no longer have to weed because as you describe, few weeds grow where there's no light. I have over 400 hosta and fortunately, many which are not on the berms have been used as shrubs against patios and house and have reached over 6 feet in width. The tree roots have choked so many on the berms they will never reach that size and some don't exist any more. I planted Rhubarb and Goatsbeard in those spots. Everything you have pointed out is something I've learned the hard way - and at age 70, I no longer want to wait 20 years until I'm able to see these gorgeous adult plants - if I can still see, that is. I, too, hate mulch - but that's what was put down for many years in the (then) open areas. DH is a golfer, so this is my own agony and ecstasy. He's felt sorry for me recently and made some burlap shades to put up over the blues so they keep as much wax as possible in disgusting 98-degree heat like today. Looks like hell for a day or two - but I hang on as long as I can. And I've had to sneak away a lot of grass (he loves it) and rake away a lot of mulch, but I've finally got the 'look' you describe - most hostas either touch or hug each other. We are now about to put this place on the market and move to Colorado where I will hopefully do it as right as possible even though I know it's not the climate I need (or want). I doubt I'll ever find another obsession I love so much as this. But I might have to. Know anyone who wants to buy a pretty house with a hosta collection? It's close to being what you describe - just a few more adjustments ... and maybe one more hosta. Westy

Most of the plants you list are drought tolerant except for the lilies. I don't know if beardeds and lilies would be compatible moisture-wise? Also lilies like soil on the acid side which beardeds don't. Here's a surprise combo that I really liked this year. The iris was a cast-off and needs proper placement now I know its color and that it works beautifully with Evelyn rose and Coming Up Roses daylily. Lousey flash pic --- much better is person.

Thx just having fun learning with shovel and compost and sharing as I go. I've had just 1 year to work on my yard. In 3-4 might set up a website to feature it just for sharing ideas for others. Not a large yard. Just seems large because of the design principles I am testing now. Yes indeed cottage style with lush subtropical effects too via "zone pushing tricks". i post regularly in Instagram under "alteredspace" name. I literally like altering my yard space visually and internal self space via hiking in PNW. The style of gardens you might like are featured in how to design style in the old Readers Digest gardening book "A Garden for All Seasons". They teach the evolved design of UK style Cottages Gardens where 2 to 4 season changes of interest are arranged in the same and often limited space. Tbe book is out of print now but can still get them on Amazon used, at great price. A few minutes ago I went outside to start digging again and a rain squall hit. The pond fish thought it might be a 2nd breakfast hitting their surface and became quite active. So went into the Gazebo and threw them a little more Cold Season pond food and desided to check messages. There's 15+ fish Comets and Koi and some have become larger than legal trout keeper size. Were all small a year ago. Nice quite moment here with the rain sounds, thinking about what's next to install.