Homefront :Salvaging a Garden

Here it is. The yard. Amazingly, I've done a lot of work in it. And no, we do not have a lawnmower yet. This post is me showing you what I have and asking for lots and lots of help! First question: Those ivy things in pots were 50 cents apiece. Do they have to come inside, or can they stay outside in full sun?

Because our budget is limited, I am trying to find creative ways to garden. Considering the weird placement of plants, which looks even weirder with the blank spaces from all of the dead plants I pulled... I am considering pulling all of the plants around the trees and putting them in the garden area closer to the house. Screwed up Texan, I will be needing your advice, since you are familiar with the climate and  plants and all ...

These ornamental grass things were 1 cent for a planter of six. So, I spent 2 cents for twelve half dead plants.

My two minuscule roses have yielded about six flowers between them in the last 4 weeks. Unfortunately, they only last about two days, and the leaves are in pretty poor shape.

 "I'm here!" ~miniscule rose

 I thought those ornamental grasses shown above would look nice against this brick wall , where the two minuscule rose bushes and those three uneven smallish hedges dwell.

The little bushes have these green berry things on them, what kind of bush is that?  I'm thinking of removing those hedges and putting them somewhere else... or at least placing them evenly somehow. "scratches head'"

I got these moss rose little things. They are really pretty and my mil has some that are doing very well. I know they do well in containers, but I hope to put them in the garden. Trying to figure out a good spot. Suggestions?

The large rose bush next to the entry is in poor shape. The one next to it, is in so much despair, that it is laying sideways. I think I have seen maybe three roses between the both of them  in the last 3 weeks.

See how the large 'rose bush' it is growing on it's side? Can I remove it and plant it standing more upright? If I remove these two  rose bushes, (b/c I feel like they are in a weird place, where do I put them?) See the dried up looking lavender there between the roses?

The lavender (right?) flowers haven't been very bright, is that because the blossoms are dead? A few around the tree has just started to get some color back, but the ones in front of the rose bushes and the hedges are pretty dried up looking. Anyways, they are planted in random spots just on the very right and left of the hedge and around the backside of one tree.  I was considering pulling the ones from the tree and spreading them more evenly in front of the hedge.

Crazy, orange bugs like them apparently.

Speaking of the hedge... guess what I found under it and behind it? These succulent type things.

  I was thinking of maybe removing them and adding them to the garden next to the brick wall. But is the root system all weird now from all of the shoots that came up from the main plant, so I wouldn't be able to dig it up?  Do they prefer the shade, which is why they are under the hedge? I would love to have them actually, visible in the garden!

Now, time for the weirdness of the tree placement plants. Seriously, why is it all uneven? My ocd is going crazy. (I know I need to remove those pine needles... eye roll)

Hey little guy, what kind of plant are you? I see your root system is half sticking out of the ground. Too bad all of your friends died from that.

Hey there, are you a begonia? I can't tell because you are so dried up and shriveled. Poor thing.

Silver dust, one of my favorite plants of all time. All I can say, is, "I'm sorry".

What are these? Weed things? Shoots from trees? What to do with them? Plant in the garden, or pull them?

(This here tree on the far right, the other half has a whole bunch of dead and barren branches)

Speaking of trees... what kind of pine tree is this with the crazy cones?

What kind of tree produces these crazy seed pod things that my kids like to smash?

Well, there you have it. My yard, you know it intimately now. Any suggestions on placement or what I can do to maximize what I have with little cost would be most appreciated. I would love to get some more plants, maybe some flowers to add color to the hedge area and the walkway in front of the brick wall, but I want to move plants around first to utilize what is there already and save some money.

allan becker ~ garden guru

The type of landscaping we love most, are cottage style gardens with tall ornamental grasses, rocks, wild flowers, lots of growth and herbs such as cilantro, basil, chives, rosemary and such interspersed throughout. I would love honeysuckle or hydrangea and full rose bushes, though trying to stay away anything that climbs or needs a trellis, since we are renting and I don't know if they would approve of that. Lots of white flowers, with some different colors throughout, but not placed in pristine rows, varying heights. Something, free and unscripted. Like me.