This planting started out as a big eyesore. We had had some work done on our septic system and heavy earth moving equipment had left this area looking like a construction site- a right muddy mess. I believe the plan at time was to hurry up and plant some perennials and put down some mulch before the weeds came to reclaim the space. And I don’t believe this plan was executed that first season. The following spring I put down landscape fabric everywhere to smother the quack grass and perennial weeds that had colonized there. I decided where the main paths should go and laid down bark mulch and covered the areas to be planted with straw. There were a few meltdowns involved with the quantity of bark mulch and the amount of schlepping this required- 3 truckloads?