How does your garden grow?

Who would believe that I have taken up gardening?! Yes, I plan to keep it alive by watering and weeding it daily...It all started when my mother-in-law was in town for a week. She started cleaning up our back yard and fixed my withering garden that I tried to make work last year. Well, last year I was very pregnant, working full time in Denver and just did not make the time for my garden. Most of the flowers died, along with my beautiful mothers day bushes that Gary bought me. Once she re-did my garden, it was beautiful and it really inspired me to really make an effort this year. So I decided to conquer the rock garden that the previous owners put around our big cottonwood tree. Believe me when I tell you, this was no easy task. I HATE ROCKS. They are miserable to remove once they have been set. So, during Joey's naps and when he wanted a little time outside with momma, I began to remove the rock, shovel by painful shovel full, into a wheel barrel and haul them across our yard to another rock pile by the shed. There were all sorts of creatures that crawled out from under those little rocks. Spiders, centipedes, ants....YUCK. Gardening is not for wussies. 

This took me about 3 days to complete. I then looked to my dear husband to help remove the plastic liner and border around the tree. We found some beautiful large rock on Craigslist, just north of Boulder for dirt cheap. Once the rocks were arranged around the tree, it was time for the dirt. Once the dirt was in place, I got to the fun stuff....flower and plant shopping! Home Depot here I come. I bought a variety of shade plants and flowers, hostas, bugleweed, plantain lillies, and a few others whose names escape me at the moment. Then I planted until they were perfect. 

My goal is not to kill them this year. I WILL succeed. Any tips and suggestions would be appreciated.