Leava, The watering issue always will be with us so I try not to stress over it when I have to stop watering and let plants die, which generally happens about 1 out of 3 years here. Unfortunately, it often happens 2 or 3 years in a row, but then after that, I know it likely won't happen for a while again. It is excrutiating to leave our lovingly-raised plants to suffer, but that's just how it is when you live and garden in an area prone to drought. It is a shame that some years we have way too much water and other years we have way too little, but we sure can't do anything about it. Succession planting sounds harder than it is. If you know you're planting broccoli, for example, and it matures in 60 days from transplant, just look at the calendar 60 days out from your transplant date and ask yourself what grows well if planted in that month. I usually start seeds of succession crops in tiny bathroom-sized paper cups with the bottoms cut out about 5-7 days before I expect to harvest the in-ground plants. Then, with harvest in the morning and transplanting the new crop (cups and all to lessen transplant shock) in the afternoon (or evening if the weather is very hot), that bed doesn't stay out of production long. You also can plant many succession crops by direct-sowing the seed in the ground, but with each crop you have to know your soil temps and air temps and make sure it isn't too hot for the succession crop to sprout. I just like starting mine inside in cups so I'll have an "instant replacement" and fill up that space and put it to work right away. I hate sowing seed in summer, waiting a week or two for it to sprout, and then having to thin or replant in areas as needed. I'd rather have the sure think of plugging in a growing plant into each bit of available space. Really, if you're replacing cool season crops, you have to replace them with a warm season crop so that narrows down your choices a lot, and it shouldn't be tomatoes or peppers (unless they're a new batch for fall) since they already should be in the ground before you're harvesting something like broccoli or cabbage. It can be harder to decide on succession crops for fall because you can choose from both some shorter-season warm-season crops or some of the cool-season crops. For fall, I try to plant more of whatever we have put up the least of or whatever we like the best. I don't necessarily succession crop after mid-summer if it is a very dry summer because there's no point in planting something that will struggle with a lack of water. Dawn

He asked me to look at his and let him know any changes or plants I wanted to include so I really appreciate your help and input. I like the bright and tight laurel variety and the camellias too. I’m not a fan of the mugo pines, or knockout roses. I have heard they have a disease that is really a problem. I definitely agree that the sizing and scale makes all the difference in the presentation, so thanks so much. Can’t wait to visit the nursery and see what we end up with on this project.

Like the idea of moving the fridge to the sink wall IF you can put a narrow cabinet between it and the wall so the wall doesn't impede opening the doors all the way. You could then move your stove over a little closer to where the refrigerator was, giving you more uninterrupted countertop workspace. Have you considered an "L" shaped island with three seats on each side -- better for conversation to have someone people at a right angle to you than five seats down beside you with several people in between. That could help with your island triangle and you could leave the inside corner open as a space for a seat for the cook during meal prep -- without needing to walk around to the other side. https://www.google.com/search?q=%22L%22+shaped+island+with+six+seats&client=firefox-b-1-d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj1m8Wq37nqAhVUkHIEHTWtAIoQ_AUoAnoECA0QBA&biw=1352&bih=648#imgrc=QQDT5upJG8piZM

Jinx, yes there is a small area on the other side of the wall. It’s not large enough to be an actual courtyard, but we have a pebbles and pavers and plants. We would like to tear it down completely, but the reason it is there is to provide privacy from the street since we sit below street level. And the master bathroom windows are right behind it. The beams have so many years of paint on them, I’m not sure stain is possible at this point, but maybe we could paint them a dark brown. Would you keep the wall the same color that it is now or paint it a different color? I’ve seen that the urbane bronze is all the rage right now but I’m not sure how I would use that since it’s so dark. As for the stained glass, I’m sure we will sell it! A couple years ago we pulled a 3 panel stained glass window out of the master bathroom! I’m curious what people do with them!