Nice choices! Be sure to leave enough room around the phlox to keep mildew at bay- Jupiters beard will self seed all over- I love to toss in annuals to my beds- poppies, sunflowers, cosmos, Malva, Amaranthus, bronze fennel, to name a few-
I have heard, that with fountains- you can keep a sprig of fresh lavender in them to keep them algee and mosquito free- and it won't hurt the birds that will come to visit and bath like some chemicals would.
Have fun with your new bed!
Julie

wow that lavender tip is a great one! who wudda thunk??

Sue
"The one thing all gardeners share in common is a belief in tomorrow"

I really enjoy peonies, autumn joy sedum, and classic favorites like purple cone flowers, shasta daisies,black-eyed susans,

Hmmm - I'd start with bulbs, muscari, my favorite daffs are February Gold for an early and Thalia for a late gorgeous white, tulips in whatever color you like and if you like red, those species 'gregeii' ones multiply and come back very well (except I like pink, fringed white and purple - LOL).

Then peonies - suggest one of the wonderful sturdy hybrids that don't flop in the rain, siberian iris or perhaps a couple bearded iris that you really love, bleeding heart, painted daisies, a rose or two, cranesbill are lovely along the edges as a border plant, daylilies, true phlox like 'David', oriental lilies, rudbeckea, coneflowers, a few choice dahlias, asters (Purple Dome is a lovely mid-height), mums. A free standing trellis is often pretty with a clematis.

These are the mainstays of my borders and I hace color from March through frost. I usually sprinkle in some zinnia seeds - there are some real beauties in single colors now so you don't have to have the broad mix. I have self-sowing larkspur and nicotiana as well. There are others of course but this probably more than you want to know!

Cindy has some great ideas. I also like to start with bulbs. Some tulips can be planted so that you have some blooming early,mi and late spring. Maybe some of the repeat blooming fragrant iris. They bloom 2 or 3 times, spring, mid summer and fall. Not many nurseries carry them. I order mine on the net. I love the little dwarf iris...they bloom with the crocus and are adorable. There are also repeat blooming fragrant daylilies in all heights and colors. Again, these usually aren't found in most nurseries. I get mine on the net. The autumn sedum that Joe suggested is beautiful in the fall, and great sage green foliage in spring and summer. Sedum is so hardy...and I take clumps off mine and put it in spots that won't grow anything else! Peonies are a great idea. They need quite a bit os sun and tend to spread, but can be controlled. A couple roses would also be nice. What type of roses do you like? I wouldn't mess with a hybrid tea rose at this point...you will be busy with all the other new babies and the T's can be fussy at times. A nice, small David Austen old english rose bush would be nice. I love the new "Golden Zest"; yellow, old english. OMG it smells good! Also, a trellis with a climbing rose in a color that would compliment your house color. If you post on the "antique rose" or the "rose" forum you would get some great advice. I also have a fountain. I have perennial herbs around it. I keep them trimmed so they don't go to seed until late summer. I buy a couple products that keep the fountain free of algae and also soften the water. I have lost a pump due to mineral build up. Also, then the birdies can bathe and not be harmed. Maybe anchor the garden on one end with a small dwarf lilac bush? Keep in mind that nothing is permanent and plants grow differently in each garden. Plants can be moved.
Keep us posted!

Mmmmmmmmm I love English roses - so romantic and they do smell divine. I have a pink one, Eglantyne, that doesn't seem to be very popular and it's the best I've grown. Just covered with blooms and repeats all year. So pretty!

I love the sedums, too - and you can think about grasses. I never really liked them in borders, but I planted a group of the morning light miscanthus at the back of a border that I knew wouldn't get a lot of attention and it makes a lovely backdrop, is completely disease free and never needs watering. Hard to argue with such characteristics. We cut them down and burn off the bases in the spring and they come back fresh and wonderful.

A good trick with a border if you are looking for sequence of color is to note times when your garden is short of flowers and either plant more of what is blooming or drive around and make note in other gardens of what is lovely - be sure to add it next year!

Thought I'd share a few notes on the fountain, we've had one for several years. Make sure you drain it and cover it for the winter, as the expanding ice could crack the concrete. We leave ours plugged into a timer, that way it doesn't run all night and we don't have to refill as often (wind tend to catch the falling water).

I like the idea of a rose too, but then again I love roses and you cannot beat them for the lenght of bloom (shrub roses).

Patricia

I would add:
- coreopsis. Golden Showers is a good rebloomer.
- catmint. Walkers Low and Six Hills Giant are great.
- salvias. May Night and East Friesland are great.
- monardas (they do spread, but are easy to control. I love the reds!)
- peonies. I LOVE peonies. I have around 50 and have just ordered another 10. Not sure where they'll be planted, but will figure that out come Fall!
- sedum
- asters. I really like Hella Lacy (purple)w/anything yellow
like heliopsis.
- lilies. I really love these and there are so many varieties to choose from - Oriental lilies, LA, Asiatic, etc.
- alliums. Gladiator and Globemaster are my favorites.

Oh, I can go on and on. I love perennials!

Phlox "David" does relaly well in my garden and is mildew resistant. I tried both of the lobelias you mentioned and neither did well. The cardinal flower needs to have akmost constant moiture. Hope this helps!