I'm picturing myself sitting at that table and realize that the only person who would actually see the painting is the one person at the far end. Two possibilities are take the picture out and put it in a much much larger frame with beautiful matting, add to it a non reflective glass and you will have a show stopper. If it were me and it was possible, I would put the table parallel to the painting. I would remove two of the chairs and put them against the wall. If there was a leaf, I would remove it.

I love Vinca (not the trailing kind). I finally found marjoram. I think it's Ingrid in the Antique Roses board who had marjoram in her garden. It gets big and was lovely. I am letting mine get a little bigger before I put it out. I also had rosemary but I moved it and need a new one. I bought a lobelia for the bed too. I have white fortnight Lilly and a startER clump of blue agapanthus. right now my bed just has hard pruned roses with a ring of clumps of baby Aztec grass surroundin it . Once the roses leaf back out I can move the plants into the bed. I have a vague idea of where I'll put them. I love the pictures with hardy graniums and any sort of daisy/Daisy like flower get my vote. I think mums interrupt the cycle of thrips so I keep wanting to try those under the roses..

Oh Sue, I was so frightened when you found the bleeding, but grateful you were able to fix it. It is a lovely quilt and you were a good friend to take it on. And it may not be as vibrant to you today but it looks bright to me. and the quilting is remarkable. Theresa

I started Part II, as this might be getting slow to load. Link to Part II