I don't think that the powers that be at the new Getty are unhappy with the central water garden, they intentionally selected Irwin because he is an artist, and not a landscape architect, most probably based on previous well published landscape work in Los Angeles he had done, and Irwin is exceptionally good at self-promotion, no struggling artist he... The gardens will appeal to those who like their plants any way they may be presented, and don't see the larger issues of time and growth, or the desirability of plants combined to reach a greater beauty because of their artful combinations. Sammy is exactly right in comparing the artfullness of Linda Cochrane's garden, (who by the way is self taught and originally an attorney, not a landscape designer), and whose garden will most likely be seen by all as a great thing of beauty and timelessness. (However, I imagine it takes a great deal of work to keep it up, and would also look pretty bleak in winter to those of us further south who can use the same subtropicals and achieve better year round looks). Therefore, I can't say that Linda's garden is the ideal model of a garden for the PNW, but then I am priveleged to work where winter is a season of growth, not death... I spent my first few years working in Robert Royston's office, and felt privileged to be there, and may be somewhat biased in my opinions about Eckbo's work. I do admire Eckbo for breaking the mold, but I don't think he had a timeless command of design that will hold up against other masters such as Barragan, Burle Marx or Russell Page,(do please google Page or see the book on his work, The Gardens of Russell Page). Much of Eckbo's work seems rather dated and forced, in the same way that some of Tommy Church's designs or Burle Marx's lesser projects also seem clumsy, or should I say, less than classic? I find myself looking to Barragan for inspiration in many of my own residential designs, and especially love using the geometry of vividly colored stucco clad walls in combinations with the sculptural qualities of xerophytic plants and tropicals to create contrasts of form, color and texture. It is easier to do in our local climate, as we have that same quality of light and often cloudless skies, (except in the summer fog season), that complements the use of strong, vivid colors.

Is the hydrangea really that shade of mixed pink and purple? (Sometimes colors don't photograph well.) If you want something short to puddle at the feet of the taller plants I could see Nierembergia, which might well winter over for you, though for me it's treated as an annual. A short Campanlua like 'Blue Clips' or 'White Clips' would serve the same function. Both have enough flower power in my experience to be seen from a distance if planted en masse but are well behaved and come in blue and white. If you want other spikier plants, there are some Campanulas like persicifolia that might work, though I don't know if seeding is a problem for them or if they have enough flowers for your use. This also is available in blue and in white. There are some shorter summer-blooming "tall" phlox on the market now that would be a bit shorter than the daylilies and would sort of match the shape of the hydrangea flowers, but later in the summer. Don't know what colors those come in. A shorter daylily in front might work also. Some of the yellow hostas seem fairly sun tolerant and might work here if deer aren't a problem for you, depending on how much shade your part shade is and what time of day. I find the yellow foliage stands out against the greens. My Siberian iris can be pretty stunning in mid to late spring and the foliage is neat the rest of the year, but it looks similar to the day-lilies as far as foliage. Some of the shorter rhodies and azaleas might look good here if you don't mind the short season of bloom and have the room. How tall are your daylilies? That's what has occurred to me so far - don't know if any of those meet your requirements and taste.

I think the attempt at a colonial look just does not mesh with the organic modern look it also had. I know it was done often as well as with the Spanish look (stucco, beams, etc...), but I just don't care for it. I think you could bring it forward into a more 70s natural look. Keep the ceiling and the slate floor, and try to work in clean elements and curves. Using raised panel doors and those hinges just did not look great when new, so to recreate would be period appropriate, but a mistake. I think a retro modern kitchen and vibe would make the most sense. Like noted above, you can use regular cabs under a curved counter. I could see it looking groovy with vertical grain veneer cabs, some retro color accessories and modern art. You can do an older style in a fresh way. There is no need to be a slave to someone else's vision for it, whether the original owner/architect, or some future buyer. If you added curves to your pix from 15:42 today, that would be quite nice. I am not sure you should whitewash your wood, but it is not a bad option. I would hate to see it get painted though. The workmanship and lines of it are really nice and that would sully it. I don't see too many painted surfaces as working in your house. I can picture grass cloth wallpaper and maybe some white walls. Certainly, you should skip crown molding.... Some funky table lamps in chrome would fit in as would some plants and macrame. I'd try to go for an ahead of its time look from years ago....

@KittyNYz6 - I've used a product that's similar with a castor oil base -- it deters moles for a couple of months, but did nothing to deter the gophers. Everything I value is planted in a gopher wire cage. Except one rose that was planted before I knew about cages and is now a massive rose on a slope, so I just pray gophers don't find it. And I have on citrus tree left that's not in a cage. I also learned the hard way that gophers will chew holes in ceramic pots, wood barrels, resin pots, and the thinner stainless steel gopher wire cages. The only thing that works for me is the much more sturdy gopher wire cage for individual plants and the "hardware cloth" (which is like chicken wire but with tiny holes) at the bottom of my raised beds. Good luck!