Trying to Go Green

I was able to get my flower pots filled with annuals and my husband planted a few shrubs this weekend. We still have a lot of work to do. As much as I sometimes enjoy having a large yard, almost an acre, I do long for a house with a small yard that wouldn't take up so much of our free time to maintain. After visiting my daughter in London and seeing the size of her long, narrow backyard garden I have decided that would be the perfect size lot for my husband and me. It would be large enough to have a grassy lawn for my grandchildren when they come to visit, a small patio for barbecues, enough room for a hot tub, and gardens along both sides. Two hours a week for each of us to maintain it and the rest of our time would be free to do as we please. In the meantime, I need some gardening tips and suggestions from those of you with green thumbs. My flower beds are looking rather wild and I am not even sure what all the plants are. I have been known to pull out what I thought were weeds only to find out after the fact that I had pulled up all the Black-eyed Susans. Sometimes I feel like plowing the whole bed up and starting over so I would know exactly what was in it and what shouldn't be there. Now that I have lost two trees in the side lot next to the highway I need to replace them with something, but I am struggling with the decision. Maybe I should have a garden party and invite all the green thumbed people I know so I can get their advice. Help!