This was a great thread to read after having moved back in the summer - some very good advice. I was very conflicted about moving but I think it was clear to me that moving the garden wasn't going to happen. As it was I did take well over 100 perennials I potted up as they emerged in the spring (they were mostly splits of plants that really needed it). To be honest this was really too much...I spent a whole week moving car loads of plants before and after work and was already completely exhausted from moving the house. The new tenant at the place asked the landlord if she could contact me about the garden but in the end I said no. Of course a big part of me wanted to still be involved with that garden but I knew I needed to make a clean break and focus on my new garden. This fall I planted about 1300 bulbs and cant wait to see them if this winter ever ends.

So glad to see you're under contract TR, hopefully closing will go smoothly and you'll have the relief that not only did the house sell, but to someone so appreciative of it. When we were looking for a house and viewed the one we purchased, the original owners were here, an elderly couple who bought it when the subdivision was just built. It was '09 and a buyer's market mostly (Texas didn't have the huge highs and lows other regions did but still, this was a nice house that had been on the market for 6 months or so). They were selling to move into assisted care living as the elderly gentlemen had several medical problems, they showed us around the place, introduced us to 'Christine' the water fountain out back that "was staying", my hub liked them as much as the house, we made an offer very close to asking and they accepted. We talked on the phone several times, came over twice, for inspection and then to hash out when they were moving (they didn't want to leave before closing), other details of the house they wanted us to know, everything very friendly. The Mrs. had given me her e-mail address so we could stay in touch, I did sent her an email after we'd gotten moved in, no reply, I called her cell, no call back. Then problems with the house started occurring (rapidly), the sanitary line needed replacing, doors started sticking and the foundation needed levelling, the whole back fence line that looked perfectly fine until you put your hand on it and it bent backwards needed replacing, the first two years here were an endless series of expensive things that had to be done. We bought it as a forever house and it likely will be, we've sunk so much money into it it probably has to be. lol I'm getting ready to paint my computer room a rosy coral, nothing bad has happened in maybe a year so I feel like celebrating. :)

Everyone has such pretty gardens above. As for the planning, I think it all depends on what you begin with, costs & style. I love the look of formal & modern landscaping; however, I bought a resale 8 year old home that looks somewhat traditional with an existing patio & a flat square backyard with a 6 ft privacy fence surrounding it. The patio is a curvy number with smaller interlock brick with a beige stone. It kind of sets the tone for the yard. It's not what I would have done, but it's nice enough that I can't justify replacing it. The original back fence line garden came with a few clumps of ornamental grass, a willow type shrub, a few other false spireas & a peony. In a bed that was about 3 feet deep. Already overgrown with weeds. So I spent the 1st summer cleaning that up, saved a few choice plants, planting 12 trees - front & back yards. And I started making fence line garden beds. Obviously have to plant the larger foundation plants & get them thriving first. So in 2 summers I made about 300 feet of garden around fence areas between the front and back. Planted the trees, 30ish varying shrubs, 45ish roses & quite a few perennials. Lots of edging & mulching. I also have a 6 ft fence along the front yard on one side. When we moved in there was no plants along the sides of the yards. I am very happy with the progress so far. But I want to extend more, add more, etc. Because my yard is very flat it was relatively easy & cheap to get as many beds as I have. If we had to do more hardscaping it would not be as simple. So I think a lot of someone's garden planning comes from the complexity or issues their actual property has ie. slopes, drainage, soil types, etc. Also I live in zone 5 so hardiness is a factor. I love boxwood hedging around beds, but it's easily ravished by winter winds, sun & ice damage. And I'm too lazy to winter protect that much. There are just so many variables. This is a picture of 3/4 of my back fence line last September. Started out as a 3 foot deep straight line bed. Here's another view of the back fence. There's is a small square patio tucked in the right corner. The stones for edging were used because there was a big pile of them in the corner when we moved in. So this came from an evolution plan. This is my side fence garden bed. Once the hornbeams & limelight get bigger I will widen this bed again.

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.