@sueinmn and @fiesty76 I love reading about the gardening adventures here! I decided to sit out a year to watch light and shadow habits [thanks, Sue, for that idea]
The roses already in place are blooming, lemon yellow, salmon, dark red. The oldest and biggest rosebush is being shy, but is growing real tall; I think it is a fiesta coloring. The cement and stone raised small bed in back has sedum growing over the edge, and the zinnia and sage starts from my neighbor are happily getting used to that area. She tried to get sunflowers started for me, with no success, so I have a large sunflower plant to get into a container today [bought at semi-local nursery]. Colorful geranium is on porch, plus a hanging basket of petunias. I love pops of color!

I am putting in a rock feature in front yard. Scribed out a 9' circle with lawn edging, anchored with homemade pegs. Center of circle is my wind whirler. Killed the lawn inside it. We have a lot of large rocks on south and east perimeters of fence, so they will be moved into that circle, which will have a weed cloth type barrier. Husband wants rocks off the fence.

Still deciding where to plant our little pine tree that was last year's Christmas tree. Along the chain link fence on driveway, there are three Japanese barberry plants that need company to be planted between them, and considering boxwood hedging [good color contrast].

The area at bottom of the slope on north side will be a while. It is literally "out of sight, out of mind". Eventually it will be fenced in, with a little garden spot, bench and place to relax.
Ginger