Your hydrangea looks very happy in that spot. Lovely blooms!

Will the garden receive sun or shade or both?
(Lobelia cardinalis will want some shade and extra moisture too)

I think you'll need to dig up the calla and cannas in the fall.

Be sure you know the mature size of the plants before you buy. Some on your list can grow quite large/tall.

Best of luck!
PattiOh

One thing that needs to happen...the hydrangea needs to be moved...to MY house.
Are both pics. in the same area/front yard? If so I would consider joining them. I am of the opinion that the hibiscus bed needs to be enlarged.
My thought would be to bring the ouside edge (right side) up to the edge of the porch. Then make a bed down the right side of the walk. You don't have to do this all at once, just as time and money allows.

Hmmmm I have looked at this a couple times. I have a couple of thoughts. First how big is this front lawn. Have you considered getting rid of all the lawn and putting it in all cottage garden?

Secondly....for me I would be planting, Delphs, rudbeckia, coneflowers, coreopsis, shastas, peonies and other perennials that grow in your zone. I believe you need different heights with your plants...and would want to build up a bit of privacy on the varanda and soften the edges. You have listed some annuals......the annuals would be great for the front of the border...and for filling in the first year or two while waiting for the perennials to mature. I like soft edges on a garden, so I highly recomend plants that spill over into each other and over the edge of the garden. Also if you want plants like cannas and callas....or other bulbs that have to be dug in your zone....its best not to plant them to close to permanent perennials......the perennials won't want their roots disturbed every year.

Also how much sun/shade does this area by the house get. If it gets a lot of shade.....you would have to change the plants to shade plants....like hostas, astible, Begonias and impatiens, fuchsias and others.

Happy Gardening,
Sierra

Thx folks. The area gets 6-8hrs of sun.

Sierra...do you mind elaborating on your 1st suggestion please? I like the sound of the cottage garden in front. What do I have to do?

Hi J4ck,
This looks alot like the house I had in Louisiana. I don't have specific suggestions for plants, but I would make the gardens large and curvy, coming around to incorporate the L-shaped entry sidewalk. So that when you enter the house, you have plants spilling over to welcome you. On my own house here in Mississippi, I think I am seeing that the front foundation beds are too small (in depth) for the house. I also have a suggestion about the front porch, again from personal experience. You might want to take down the railing so that you can sit on the porch and not feel boxed in. You could even put some pavers right in fron of the porch to make it feel larger and then start the garden beyond that. I liked it much better when I sat on the front porch (had a small table and 2 chairs there) with the railing gone. If you see a weed, you don't have to walk around the railing, you just lean over and pull it.
I do not plant things I have to dig up every season, becoz I just don't want to spend time doing that, so I would only plant things that are perennial or annuals in front, or bulbs that can overwinter. you could plant cannas and callas in pots though, which makes it easier to dig and store the bulbs.

Well for starters....you have to make sure your city will allow your entire front yard as a garden. Once you have done that. You would have to

Make sure there are no pipes, sewer lines....gas lines in your front yard....contact hydro and the gas company to find out where these lines come into your home.....you don't want to dig into these. They will probably email you a plan, showing you where these lines are on your property.

I think Steven gave a step by step of his front garden on here. If you can find his posts from last summer...they will give you a good idea of what is involved.

Check the net for others that have done this....also go to the library and look for books with plans and ideas. The special interest gardening magazines come out in Feb??? I think at the grocery store and Walmart I believe. You may find lots of ideas in these.

A project this size will take a lot of time. Also consider the time it takes to maintain this size of a garden. Do you have a garden club in your area...maybe talk to some of the members there if you do. Also utilize the knowledge of your garden center staff.

Happy Gardening,
Sierra

You have a lovely start and have gotten some great advice. The easiest way to expand is to just make the beds bigger than they are right now. Double, triple, or quadruple your sizes. :0) If the beds start to touch each other, then yay! :0)Smooth out the edges where you'll need to mow and plant.

Build into your scheme some evergreens and small shrubs to add structure to your view. At first, I had to remind myself to toss in some vertical interest with taller shrubs, a trellis and vine, or a small tree.

Remember to create a simple path through out so maintaining the bed is easier.

Above all, don't be afraid. If a plant doesn't work, then dig it up, plant it somewhere more suitable, and find another plant for the original space. It's like re-arranging furniture--sort of. GRIN.

Here is a link that might be useful: Creative Soul

happyintexas said "Above all, don't be afraid. If a plant doesn't work, then dig it up, plant it somewhere more suitable, and find another plant for the original space. It's like re-arranging furniture--sort of. GRIN."

That is the best.. its like rearranging furniture.. I do that in the house and i do it in the garden.. it all starting to make sense now..hmmm

Happyintexas and drtyknees.....thanks for tha advice, I really appreaciate it! Now looking at my pictures, how would you advise I go about joining the beds together?

We do want some grass left on the lawn, and the city requires this anyway from what I found out. Happyintexas..I like the evergreen, vertical and shrub idea, what would you recommend to go with what is already in place now?

I have the following seeds to plant

1. purple cone flower seeds
2. mystic merlin mallow seeds
3. pink catchfly seeds
4. blue love-in-a-mist seeds
5. perennial blue flax
6. scarlet runner beans
7. Al neon lights 4 o clock seeds
8. love lies bleeding seeds
9.portulaca seeds

10. balsam mix seeds
11. milkweed seeds
12. pink lupins seeds
13. oriental poppy seeds
14. peony like poppy seeds
15. swamp hibiscus seeds
16. Annual hibiscus
17. rudbeckia yellow seeds
18. sunflower tall red
19. cosmos sunset seeds
20. tri-colour daisy seeds
21. hollyhocks mix seeds
22. Sunflower Taiyo

Cheers

Hi,
Have you thought about connecting the side to the front?
Just a tip: When you lay your curves out, run your mower through to see how well it flows, if it's difficult, you need to soften them up some. They seem very curvy from the photos.
Plan for how big things will get in the future, I have underestimated many times how large something will get. You want to have plenty of space.
It seems as if you have alot of great plants to get you going.
I hope I made sense in talking about the curves, this is coming from experience also. If you can't mow, it stinks.
Good luck.