Our garden is in its ninth year. We started out with a blank slate of grass, one mature pink dogwood, and an overgrown photinia hedge. Obsessed gardeners that we are, that changed quickly. The former front lawn now consists of long borders planted with conifers, shrubs, and perennials as well as many David Austin and old garden roses. Half of the back garden is on a terraced slope that is planted with drought-tolerant plants such as cistis, euphorbia, ceonothus, Vitex (Chaste Tree) and yes, more roses. Along the back area of the terrace is our only shaded area where ferns, epimedium, rhododendron, hydrangea, camellia, a large Anise shrub (Illicium floridadum) and other shade-loving plants reside. The central portion of the back garden above the terrace is a small gravel courtyard and large pergola/deck. Adjoining it is the first garden we created ‒ a small enclosed area with borders of perennials that surround a statue of Pan. We have planted many trees (Katsura, Stewartia, Sassafrass, Oxydendrum, Nyssa sylvatica and a number of Cercis (Redbud), vines (about 20 clematis) and shrubs throughout the entire garden.