... and stood there thinking, "Someone looking at this photo is not seeing what I want them to see." Then I realized, "Hell, even you aren't seeing what you want them to see."

So I ran in, grabbed some secateurs and did some very careful cutting back on the Artemisia 'Oriental Limelight'... and the composition suddenly made sense again.
This is the photo I should have led with:


The Hosta, the 'Carnival Watermelon' Heuchera and the 'Munchkin' Hydrangea are all growing in the old shade tree bed. The Hydrangea suffered a hit last fall in the ice storm. A tree limb dropped precisely into the middle of it... snapping three limbs that served as the "center" of the plant. This year, while it is recovering, I tucked a large, medium green glazed container into the void left by those 3 limbs. The Hydrangea now looks as though it is trying to embrace the green container.
The green container sits on top of the foot high frame I built to comprise the new shade tree bed... and the small brick patio. It contains 'Blue Daze' and 'Loraine's Sunshine' False Sunflower. An Autumn Fern and a 'Minuteman' Hosta grow in the new shade tree bed at the base of the green ceramic planter.

The yellow glazed cylindrical container sits one foot lower... almost at ground level. It contains a small yellow and white Lantana and a small Licorice Plant that is taking over the pot. The balance of the bed the yellow pot is in is occupied by 'Caesar's Brother' Siberian Iris and 'Oriental Limelight' Artemisia.
The Fern in the dark green glazed pot is Dryopteris lepidopoda [Sunset Fern]. It is simply spectacular in spring.


I should have mentioned the above photo is courtesy of Sebright Gardens in Brooks, OR. They were my source for several Hostas and this Fern... and all the plants I received were healthy, generously sized, and well packed for shipping. My 'Sunset' Fern is potted for now, but will be in-ground by early August: