How Does Your Garden Grow?

Perhaps you recall the last time I made you read about my gardening endeavors? The grass was all patchy, nothing was growing, I was holding a hand cultivator* like a weapon? Anyway...spring came along with rain and warmer weather, and it's made QUITE an improvement!

Obviously, I have plans to plant something here...just not quite sure what yet. I'm hoping I can split off a little of something I already have, but we'll see. 

Look how much better the grass looks! Still a bit patchy, but it's a pretty shady spot...so I'm trying to be patient. 

I'm thinking once I lay mulch we can hide that gutter drain a bit better.  

Look at those little purple guys!

And the peony bush is about to take off...come on, little peony! You can do it!

Last year, these azaleas didn't even pretend like they were gonna bloom. Now look at them - peaking out bright and early to see what the spring's all about.

That's all I wanted to say really. Next steps are to fill in with more plants and mulch the place! It will look nice and neat once I've got the mulch in, but I'm trying to take this whole thing very slow and right now there's so much weed-plucking that I don't have the patience to put deal with mulch quite yet. Any garden wisdom? Advice for a novice? Mistakes I'm making?

*I had to look it up, but yeah...that's what it's called.