In search of a showy flower

I went out to buy a showy flower for the backyard garden. It needed something pretty in the corner, in place of the ornamental grass that never grew from 2 yrs ago.   Something that will contradict with the Russian Sage and Cosmos. A statement piece.

I wanted a Peony

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or blue Hydrangea. (wow, that is beautiful, maybe I should fill the entire plot with Hydrangea)

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or Iris

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Instead I returned with a spiky lily and some burgundy ornamental grass. (perplexed expression insert).

The Hydrangeas' were not doing it for me and the Peonies were nowhere to be found. Lucy was having fun in the mud puddle and Chaz had a swim date to get too.  There is room for more plants, so we picked these two and I made a mental note to find the showy plant upon our return.

The lily is bright yellow and showy. And it reminds me that I originally wanted a garden of Brown Eye Susan's. In May, I was looking for B.E.S seeds and Daisy seeds and couldn't find any. Aren't these common? (another very perplexed expression). So I got off track. Wanted a nice big red or blue flowering shrub thing and ended up with a lily.

A month ago (replace clover with showy plant)

This morning:

I met to have an after picture but didn't get time to transplant the flower and grass. Which made me think of things NOT to do before leaving on a trip.

List of things NOT to do:
Buy flowers / plants for garden.
But tomato plants
Get soil and  compost

Plant tomato plants

List of things TO do before leaving:
Make a list,
Laundry, this never ends.
pack,
pet sitter,
house sitter,
cut grass, 1/2 done
tidy up,
find a ride to airport,
organize work stuff,
hair appt. 
Lucy's Doc appt.
etc.
Follow list.

BUT I want the tomatoes and flowers planted before I leave.

The veggie garden got out of control ... scattered with last years Amaranth. Actually there is a trail of sprouting Amaranth from the garden, through the dug out paver patio area to the gate. I tossed all the weeds and grass onto the cement blocks that I was digging out. I guess the Amaranth got tossed with it. We lugged all the dirt and grass to the front of the house but the Amaranth is hardy and paved itself a path along our work trail.  I am happy to see their return, along with chamomile and morning glories but I wanted to raise the garden and plant some tomatoes and beans. Those hardy plants came through and I couldn't toss dirt on top of them.  Wild herbal type garden will stay and tomatoes will get planted in pots. Raised garden next summer.