Back garden eyesore - Part I

My back garden looked pretty good last May 2nd, the day of my open garden. I won't exactly say it's been downhill from there but almost. There have been many changes to this garden since then. Roses are bigger, roses are gone, new roses have come, plants have frozen back and not returned as promised, and some unsightly stuff is now visible that was hidden. The eyesore is a very small part of the whole but a very ugly part, and I feel it has a large impact on the feeling of this garden. It hurts my feelings every single day.

I think you'll be able to feel the garden if I can place you in the garden. So imagine you're the little man in the Google Street View. Keeping in mind, of course, that nature and this gardener have made some changes. Take your time. I'll keep quiet except for directions.

From the house look north

 Walk out behind the bench, turn around and look toward the house.

Turn to the right and walk west just a few steps, look back to the house.

 Walk forward, looking to the right as you go.

 Keep walking to the corner of the house and turn to the left. Now you're facing east.

 

 Walk toward the bench, stop at the stepping stones and look right.

Walk past the bench, turn left at the potted plants and do a 180. You're looking south. The future eyesore is on your left.

 Step back a little and look left at the tidy, well hidden storage area.

 Look right at the shade garden, my pride and joy - foliage texture and color.

Pivot left a bit, walk back toward the house, stop next to the pots.

Look to the left at the nice bamboo screen, Mona lavenders and a Walters Viburnum in a shady grotto under three oak trees that only gets late afternoon sun.

Turn right toward the house, bear left and stop under the rebar arbor.

Turn around, the eyesore is behind Louis Philippe and Fortuniana (climbing the oak tree on the left).

Look to the right. The shed is the end of the road, er, gravel path.

Turn around, look south toward Reve d'Or and all the way at the end is Maman Cochet, Cl.

Bear right, then look left under the arbor.

Now go back to the red bench, sit in the shade, and I'll get you an iced tea. Sweet or unsweet?

While you sip your tea, I'll tell you my problem. No, better yet, we'll fast forward, and I'll show you my problem... So much for bamboo screens. It lasted six months. And Mona Lavender doesn't like freezing temps - at all.

Isn't this embarrassing?

Can this ever be a pretty part of the garden? Stay tuned to Part II. I think I have a plan.