Beginner Gardening: Any suggestions for a new gardener?, 1 by missysgarden

missysgarden wrote:
My husband and I have purchased an older home (1955) on a 1/2 acre lot in Oregon. We are newbies to gardening but I have decided to try my hand at a cottage style garden (a little adventurous I know). We are starting to work on the front yard right now (Please try to ignore the lawn that's a whole other topic lol ! We've extended our beds,beds, and amended the soil, and have added barkdust. I'm sure summer is the worst time to start planting, but I couldn't resist the price on some of my favorites : A hydrangea tree, phlox, echinacea, and phlox. I've attached a picture of the new extended beds, but I'll have to put up a pic after I planted. Here is my problem: I like tall plants. So I put them in and it just seems like I need some type of filler? Any recommendations? I would prefer perennials, that had some type of evergreen folliage ,but I'm open to all suggestions.