Just some thoughts on your plant choices... Loropetalum and Lavandula stoechas are at opposite ends of the water requirement spectrum, and Loropetalum wants to get 5 feet tall by across or more at maturity, you'll be pruning this a lot and losing the natural form to keep it in check. I never use Loropetalum chinense rubrum selections unless they have at least 6 feet of space to grow. Purple Fountain Grass is really more of a warm season annual than a reliable year round good appearance perennial in SF Bay Area conditions, and I only use it in my designs as an annual to be yanked when it starts looking bad by late December/early January. It seems to take forever to look good after winter is over, while it arrives early in the season from southern California greenhouses each spring, it may be mid June before one in the ground looks full again. I'd suggest sticking with plants that are more water compatible if it is all on the same valve. My personal bias would be to lose the Pennisetum rubrum and substitute with more of the Lavender or maybe some Tulbaghia violaceae 'Silver Lace' for a similar grassy foliage look and long bloom season/deer resistance. Adding something like a spilling Erigeron x moerheimerii would also relate to the Lavender. If you like purple foliage, I might suggest seeking out Eucomis comosa 'Sparkling Burgundy' as an accent,(but this isn't a Home Depot type of plant), or maybe Sea Lavender/Limonium perezii for the long spring to fall deep purple blooms and low water needs. If you wouldn't mind adding some magenta/fuchsia flower color to the mix, Salvia chiapensis is another one that spills and drapes and has a nearly year round bloom period, or the newer hybrid Salvia 'Wendy's Wish' is quite nice as well. Some bulbs such as Scilla peruviana could also be an interesting addition to the mix, with bold color in March/April, and survives on rainfall alone.

The lilac tree looks great and will screen a lot of the parking lot next door. I hope it rewards you with glorious bloom next year. Does your property on the left side extend all the way to the utility pole? If so, a section of fence on that side of the drive way, maybe just turn the corner, could make your garden look much, much larger. Even a vine pole, tuteur or other vertical structure also in white on the other side of the driveway would draw the eye, instead of stopping at the awkward corner opposite. Dropping back to the house corner to place a fence section would still show the viewer that your yard goes all the way across, if you need the space beside the driveway for guest parking. Nell

I am so happy to see your pictures again! I was here back then, but mostly lurking, which I still do a lot because I am not very good about id-ing my plants since the dogs destroyed my labels and I gave up There are a few I know the names of, but not too many. You were one of my secret mentors when I started my hosta planting! I am sorry your 'When I Dream' was a disappointment, but there is so much to love about your gardens! Thank you for that!!!

Thanks y'all. You guys are right, it's gaillardia. I can never remember that! I bought it before I knew it wasn't hardy like the other kind, but I've enjoyed it. Helen, no St. Francis isn't heavy at all. He's hollow plaster. I think I got him at Big Lots, but I can assure you he was cheap because I just don't spend a lot of money on garden art. There's a Cheshire Cat I want so badly at Wickman's in Spfd but can't bring myself to pay the $100 for him.