First, before you treat the pests, it helps to identify exactly what bugs are on your plants. Also, your location is going to matter to others who might offer advice. As an example, where I live, there are only 2 basic types of white bugs that I might find as a pest on my plants, and neither would cause flowers to drop. Photos would help to identify the insects, understand the growing conditions better, and to diagnose what could be causing the leaf color and flower drop issues. Also, and no offense to anyone posting on the Organic Gardening forum, but your problems are more of a Vegetable Gardening forum issue. Since you've mentioned you prefer organic solutions, just post the question over there... it gets a lot more traffic.

Those actually look like snap-togther decking tiles (seen here). These are not intended to be set on grade (or bare soil) but rather as a permeable covering for an older deck or patio surface. LIke any wood product they will rot, collect moisture and discolor when in direct contact with the ground. I'd agree with Yard about removing them and then using a more durable surface - it could be concrete as suggested but could just as well be gravel or manufactured pavers, properly set on a prepared level surface.

Thank you! That's a great idea to decide on a style first and I like how you outlined it as bones, it gives me to built a blueprint. I was lost because I kept searching garden images and all styles came to mind. But giving it some thought, my house is a cottage and I def love cottage style gardens based on photos I just saw online. Maybe a little more tamed, instead of wild cottage -if that makes any sense! It seems that cottage is gardening with no rules, informal and allows a blend of different flowers and plants, which fits my style because I have a love for a little bit of everything. I would like to stick to perennial type flowers because I live in cold area and would love to wait for spring and see those types bloom year after year again. One thing I've always wanted is a hydrangea bush, rose bush and a bird bath fountain so let's see how I am able to add those in :D!

Various willows (Salix species) will produce those leaflets along the stems. Salix nigra for one; also Salix eriocephala and S. lasiolepis. And one with perhaps the most pronounced display of these leaflets is eared willow, Salix aurita, so-called because of the ear-like appearance of the leaflets. They are actually stipules and are often an identifying feature of the genus.