The roots of the lilac may well be alive. I'd remove all the honeysuckle and cut back the lilac. Keep it watered and throw down some lime, which they love. Fertilize in the spring--it's a little late now. Be vigilant about the honeysuckle returning and I bet your lilac throws out new growth. These are hard to kill.

Not to worry Mari. As others have said tilling is not necessarily needed. My tiller was never effective in this rocky, hard clay and usually just bounced all over creation so I stopped trying. I've been doing exactly what you did for the last two years with great results. I'm slowly reclaiming what I thought were impossible areas just by putting down a couple of layers of cardboard right overtop of thriving weeds and making sure it overlaps properly to prevent sunlight from penetrating. Then I cover that with a thick layer of mulch/dirt, etc... (heck, sometimes I don't even mulch if it's an area that isn't easily visible and won't be an eyesore. If there are already established plants in the area I just cardboard around them and pull whatever weeds may reach out around their bases. Otherwise I just wait until the weeds are dead before planting new things. Even if a few stray weeds or runners find a way through it's much easier to eliminate those few once all the rest are dead. I had an area that was completely taken over by wild blackberry vines taller than me. They spread 15 feet closer to the house in just one season! So I whacked everything to the ground and then blanketed with the cardboard in the summer and everything underneath is dead now(yay!) I have yet to find a chemical brush or weed killer that actually does what it's supposed to and kill the root of the annoying weed grasses, thorny vines, etc... This takes a little longer but will not waste your money or time like spraying. I also just borrowed a large rubber liner from a relative and I'm going to use that to try and retake my gravel driveway and parking area one section at a time. I have heard this "solarization" is not always recommended for areas where you intend to plant though because the heat will also kill the beneficial microbes & organisms that are in that soil. Weeds in gravel are an awful pain. I look forward to a day when we can afford to blacktop it. Sincerely, Danielle

Yes to all three! And, yes to the fact that Jupiter's Beard can be invasive, and YES to the fact that Snow in Summer IS invasive! I recommend you start doing whatever you can to get rid of that one for sure! The Salvia looks to me like it could possibly be 'May Night', but can't be sure from a picture. There are hundreds of different perennials, so you'll have a lot to choose from as you're planning your new gardens! For now I recommend you keep an eye on the sun for any of the places where you're planning to have perennials so you know how much direct sun each area is getting and can be sure to plan for perennials that will do well in each location. You also might want to decide if you're going to have some (or all) your beds that will be for xeric perennials, or if you're going to have most/all your beds that will get regular watering. If there are xeric things you really like and want to have, be aware that they (truly xeric things) will do much better if they are NOT watered--and, usually, they'll need FULL sun. When you're doing your planning, if you come here and post that you're looking for something in a certain color, and have a preferred height, you're almost sure to get a bunch of recommendations! Or, since perennials don't bloom all summer, you could post if you're looking for something that blooms in spring, or summer, or late summer, etc. That will get you color for the whole growing season, and one of the things I love about perennials is that they're "always changing!" So as one thing is finishing blooming, something else is just starting, and there's always "something new" to be looking at and enjoying! You might want to think about putting in some spring blooming bulbs this fall too--crocus, dafs, hyacinths, etc. They give you great early color when you're chomping at the bit for something to be lookin' at and lovin' after a long, dreary winter! Have fun planning your new yard, Skybird

I missed KentC's post, but agree with it, too. Samarnn, it is taking my drawing too literally as it's not a suggestion of color or texture. It is predominantly a scheme of arranging, and to some degree size, although that comes with some pretty broad leeway. Color, texture, plant personality & other details are characteristics that will be products of whatever plants the owner chooses. I'm just trying to get them in the ball park. (... A ball park that is different than the de facto standard skinny evergreens at house corners connected by a hedge across the front.) I think you bring up a good point, though .... that having everything be fine textured is NOT an ideal. Some boldness & courseness as part of the scheme is a good thing and adds interest.