I think how you approach this really depends on whether you plan to rent it out or not. We're designing a home and need a mother-in-law apartment with a full kitchen for when my mother-in-law (unfortunately) will live with us. We don't plan at any point to rent it out though. Our HOA doesn't allow multidwelling units though so we're designing it as an attached pool cabana with a kitchenette which is allowed. It will be decorated as a cabana but once the inspector leaves we'll add a cooktop (my mother-in-law doesn't use an oven which is what makes this plan work) and furnishings which will make this work as a mother-in-law apartment. To turn it back into a cabana to sell the house we'll just need to change out the furnishings, remove the cooktop and replace the counters.

What a nice project! I like the very healthy look of the plants. Keeping the garden "conscious" is important in my book, and you have achieved this. Some ideas: Add butterfly-attracting plants (unless you are opposed to bees visiting). Establish a place for annuals. Can be small, inexpensive plants about to flower, giving fresh interest each spring. With a variety, something will likely be in bloom. A protected place for bulbs? Plant a tree behind each bench, no matter how small it is to start. Provides an anchor. In for the long haul, promising growth, future, and perhaps flowering. Encourage members to make decorated pavers or other objects. Nothing brings a person back to a place like having their own contribution to visit! If space for this is limited, announce that the object will be on loan for 1-year to the church garden; have a swap-out day and ceremony for everyone's pieces. This will keep them in the artistic process planning their next piece, and the old piece will have been, in a sense, blessed, for return to their own gardens.

OMG! It’s absolutely beautiful.....so calm and serene......quiet at night where you are. Wish I could visit......you have a wonderful sense of design. I agree with you about both religions. I have practiced meditation and chanting, but have strayed from the practices. I have been wanting an arbor for the property, just not sure where.... maybe In the bed where my Buddha & Shiva statues are..... hmmmmmm. Now you gave me an idea to work on! :-)

Ben, I remember when I first moved here, I planted tomatoes like I did in California. I spent $70 on soil amendment, tomato cages, plants, mulch. Half of the plants got wilt in the middle of the season and collapsed. It wouldn't have mattered anyway. The other half didn't bloom until a couple of weeks before the first frost. I think I harvested 2 or 3 green tomatoes at the end of the season. Now my doctors say no tomatoes. I planted an apple allee, peaches, plums. Now about 5 or six years later, they are all full bearing size, and I'm not supposed to have any of them. No apples, no peaches, no plums (and no strawberries, no alcohol, no citrus of any kind, no peppers, it goes on and on). Sigh. To take out all the trees? At least kale is still okay, whoopee. lol!