Melvalena, we may be neighbors. I'm in Waxahachie, where are you? Don't give me too much credit until it's all said and done. I had big plans for these beds when we first moved in, but didn't get much farther than weeding them, adding a little compost and fresh mulch. Other house priorities have come up year after year, and of course last year was so bad we couldn't hardly even go outside, much less plant anything and expect it to live. So instead of doing, I've been reading. All of the good local gardening books, ag extension info, websites, gardenweb, etc. I've been lurking here on the design side off and on, reading and re-reading. Also looking at what my neighbors have planted, and what looks good when. What I haven't gained in plants (so far) I hope I've gained in good sense. I've decided that while I do enjoy gardening, I want this to be as maintenance free as possible. I want tough, drought tolerant, well-behaved plants that don't require a lot of care and fussing. Another thing I've learned is that common plants are common for a reason. Wax begonias may be old and boring, but they sure do look great for most of the season with very little work. Those Stella daylilies may be passe, but mine bloom their heads off all season long, in a hell strip of full sun and clay. I've seen older google images of the house, and frankly, whatever we do here will be a vast improvement on what the PO's did, so I have to remind myself of that, and not get too caught up in the details.

Good tips, advice and encouragement - thanks! Can't do more slate without big effort and hiring help - so that's out. High and low growers I have done and will continue doing as I add plants in. I came up with a 'design' of sorts that breaks up the length of the walk by incorporating plantings that travel across it in one section and giving a 'break point' where new border plantings begin. I have some hedging areas using Anise - nice, lush dark green and very easy plant but grows big if not kept pruned - I can handle that. I also have lovely but randomly blooming hydrangea that are doing well, some nice gardenias, red impatiens, coleus, shrimp and plume plants, and a lugustrum tree at the walks end. I put up hanging baskets each year and add annuals as energy and time permit. It works okay. Well enough for me, anyhow. Biggest frustration is often plant choice. I have one area that seems would be simple. High / dappled shade with good drainage (according to my 'dig a hold and fill with water' test) and no issues of sandy or clay soil. I always amend soils at planting and take time to 'Do it right'. At this point - in that area - I have had: A) dwarf azaleas. Just didn't thrive there. In retrospect I may not have watered them in well enough. Moved them 30 feet away under the oaks and they are thriving. B) Indian Hawthornes. We're lovely for a while. Then my entire yard was attacked by hairy moth caterpillars which exfoliated many shrubs. I was out of town and came home to what looked like a horror movie of bugs. Had to get a broom and knock the things off my door to get inside. The Hawthornes never really came back and it became evident there wasn't really enough sun for them there. Moved them to the other side of the yard and now they are healthy and happy. C) varigated pittasporum. Made this choice after having three that were surviving and thriving in the area. Bought more - LOTS more - to use along the sides of that stretch of the walk . They were living there well and looking good till just this week. Noticed wilted area on one. Soon it was 12. Pulled up the bad looking ones as was advised on another forum that problem was likely a root rot. Over it. If I had to do it over again I would put pebble rock and landscape lights in that area. But I am in up to my neck now so leaving it unfinished is not an option. Hence my desperate cry for consolation lol! I am either stupid or stubborn but I am not giving up.

We never freeze here, and have winter days up into the 60's, so any moisture in a pot while they are dormant makes them a real brewing ground for rot. When I was new at this, I just left them in the rain for the first 3 years I grew them and didn't worry. They did fine! Then one wet winter 1/2 my 90 pots rotted. In UT, I imagine once things get frozen they don't thaw till Spring. It is the freezing/thawing/freezing/thawing that often messes them up. The rules are just guidelines. Be happy you have conditions that allow you to grow hostas so easily. Be wary, tho, only your most prized, most expensive ones will bite the dust. -Babka

Let's see - gardening rules I break all the time: - I plant my roses far too close together and I actually want them to intermingle - I interplant with a wide variety of other plants, when "everyone knows" rose gardens can only contain roses (smile) - I don't prune below the first 5 leaf nodule or some such foolishness - if it looks dead or is in my way I cut it back as much as I feel like - I don't spray anything - I don't fuss over them - I don't use products specifically designed (or priced) for roses, but buy my fertilizer at the hardware store and huge bales of alfalfa at the farm supply store - I don't worry about bugs or diseases and make them shape up or ship out - I put colors next to each other that aren't supposed to go together, most of the time by accident but I'm too lazy to move them - I buy roses from anyone and everyone that has quality plants to sell, including big box stores if that applies - I overwinter roses that aren't supposed to grow in my climate - I kill roses that are supposed to be perfectly hardy for me And gardening rules that I keep, most of the time - I find joy in the small things in the garden, and try to see the roses more than the bugs, blackspot or sweat dripping off my nose - I share that joy with anyone who expresses even a passing interest in any of the above - I bring bouquets all the time to friends and neighbors even though I rarely cut them for myself - I bring my kids out into the garden to enjoy nature, including the cool bugs - I get a kick out of helping newbies learn that roses aren't that hard to grow - I don't expect perfection - If I don't feel like getting out to the garden for some strange reason I take a break - I try to spend as much time stretching back out as I do bending over - I remember to hang out on my swing or hammock and gaze out proudly over the garden (however ratty it may look) and sigh, "Dang, I love gardening" Cynthia