Suggestions Please!

Okay, so I am working on my masterpiece here. We bought our first home last summer and the first year I played gardener. I can only keep my kids alive. Now though, I think I like the plants better. Anyway, the builder put in the crappy stuff they usually put in (who puts 6 foot shrubs in front of windows?) I ripped all that out and here is what I have so far. I took a picture of my house and put vellum over it and drew all my ideas on it. I have already planted pretty much everything you see in the drawing and I think I did okay on the foundation plantings. Now what do I fill it with?

I want to do like a japanese rock garden. I am trying to do all foliage, no flowers. I want some space between plants and want to vary the textures and colors. I am also varying the groundcovers from juniper to mulch to rocks. I may even add some of those dock/pier wooden things. I also like warm colors, no cool tones. My house is yellow with warm red brick trim. I will also include a pic of a similar idea but it is more informal and smaller than the area I am working with.

The first 5 ft. nearest the home is shady, the rest is full to partial sun with the area furthest away getting the most sun. It is a NE exposure and we live just NE of Atlanta in zone 7b/8a. I have mostly clay soil. The total area will extend further to the right than I could get in on this paper. It is on a steep slope and we are trying for a 'no mow' slope.' The total size will be about 20 ft. from front to back and 60 ft. wide.

I wanted to see about putting some ostrich fern in but can't decide where or even whether it would look right. Any suggestions would really help. I tend to like very clean looking plants and tropical as opposed to feathery, wispy looking stuff. Love ornamental grasses. Love reds, oranges and electric purple too. What do I add and where?

Here is the picture of something similar yet smaller and more informal than I am going for. I just got the idea from it.

GaPeach,
You have done a great job so far and it sounds like you know exactly what you want. This being said, the last picture that you are saying you got the idea from-----it is way too busy. Too many different kinds of rocks and wood dock pier things make it look like mass confusion. I love your drawing with the large grouping of rocks --no flat bricks of three different patterns.
Here are a few ideas for plants: Pacific junniper has a blue green cast to it and can be pruned to keep it in check. Candy Tuft is a low growing evergreen that forms a rounded mound. I covered in white blooms in the spring. A beautiful airy grass that I have is Texas Muhley. It will be around 4' tall. For your lower spikey plants, consider the many different sages. Pineapple sage is beautiful with red blooms in late summer. Sages come in white, lavender, and purple.
Hope this helps a littlel I'll try to find these plants in the plant file for you

http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1545/index.html Candy Tuft
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/59737/index.html Muhly grasshttp://www.natorp.com/Juniper'BluePacific'.htm

http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1913/index.html
http://www.swallowtailgardenseeds.com/perennials/obedience_plant.html Obedience plant

Sorry I should have prefaced the whole thing with forget the red stone/patio stuff, forget the swing and forget the pots. I was only looking at the more natural materials. I like the variations in groundcover and thought that stone, mulch and juniper would work well as long as the colors were toned down and looked more natural. I also like the fact that with some of the japanese rock gardens and the rock garden and alpine forum stuff tends to use more foliage textures, looks natural and with all the variation, it is like there is always something to be discovered.
Here is another picture of the other side of the patio at the same home. I think, leaving out the red edging and patio, this looks kinda nice. The style I mean, how they varied stuff and it is mainly foliage. I wanted to keep the style but eliminate the tacky. And believe it or not, these pics are from a local company that showcases their work in one of the more sophisticated areas of town. This home is in one of the more expensive sections of town.