I'm excited to see that you've received so much wonderful advice, Greenhaven. When I mentioned a cottage garden I was thinking of my version of it, which includes much more than roses and other flowers. For instance, against a bare all of the house I planted four junipers, with each pair having a lavender crape myrtle between it. There's also a privacy fence that's a hedge of closely planted junipers. They do as well in the heat as they do in the cold. If I lived in your zone I would design the area a a "winter" garden first, i.e. plant it so that it looks beautiful for that long time of the year when many things are dormant. As mentioned above, the typical yews and junipers might just be the best way to go. When those things are in place, you can design around them with softer elements for spring and summer interest. I think evergreens would form a very pleasing backdrop given the color of your house. Different bulbs that would give interest for several months in the spring would be lovely, and I wouldn't grow only tulips. Irises and daffodils grown in groups would look beautiful against a backdrop of evergreens. The suggestion of Awakening instead of New Dawn is a good one. A climber will be there for a long time and this rose has a much more old-fashioned look to it, in my opinion, although I understand it does have vicious thorns. It will be fun to see what you decide to do and I hope you post pictures of the process and the final result. Ingrid

Vera, Everything looks just beautiful. I'm very excited about starting WS this year. I have a very nice garden, but, looking forward to it being plush. Pearl

Here's what is left Marguerite Daisy - Yellow (2) Forget-me-not Anise Hyssop - Agastache foeniculum Datura - White Chives Datura metel - Lafleur Lilac Basil - Napleotano Bolloso Allium - White Mexican Hat - Ratibida columnaris Love in a Mist - Nigella damascene False Sunflower - Heliopsis heliantoides Aster - Pink Powderpuff Heuchera - Dales Strain Digitalis Grandiflora - Foxglove Black Eyed Susan (2) Brown Eyed Susan Echinacea - White Swan Rudbeckia - Amplexicaulis - Sunkeeper Rudbeckia - Harvest Moon Rudbeckia - Prairie Sun Buddleija davidii - Deep Purple Echinacea - Pink Marigold - Orange Allium - Purple Crocosmia - Lucifer St. Mary's Milk Thistle - Silybum marianum Nemophilia - Penny Black Alchemilla erythropada Feverfew Red Beebalm Burgundy Beebalm Ornamental Pepper - Embers And, these that are out of my garden Black Hollyhock

Hello! I'd love to get some ornamental grasses in my yard! I have naturalized orange daylillies, french hybrid lilac, purple bearded iris, lovely little blue violets, grape hyacinths, rose of sharon, trumpet vine, and a lovely creeping periwinkle ivy (that is quite vigorous) to trade. I'm also interested in your lemon balm, shasta daisy, ostrich fern, alberta spruce, shrubs and grasses. Also, check out my trade list for others. Let me know! Here is a link that might be useful: http://members.gardenweb.com/members/exch/cherylseason