Susan, the variegated plant is a masterwort, Astrantia major 'Sunningdale Variegated'. The foliage is the attraction, although it does get greenish white flowers. I love that combo, but unfortunately have a hard time with either the lavender abrieta or moss phlox (never quite sure which is which) and it died out on me.
The 'too much yellow' is for that one bed against the barn. Both the lady's mantle and corydalis tend to colonize and then I added 'The Torch' ligularia for a lot of yellow at the same time. I added in some Jack Frost brunnera and I think a reddish astilbe last season so we'll see if that evens it out a bit.
And, yes, that is the ol' Singer I learned to sew on. It sat in the closet gathering dust until I decided to enjoy it's last hoorah in the medicinal portion of my herbs. I quite like it there, its surrounded by knitbone, boneset, and arnica.
I did not know that. Originally my front yard was supposed to be all white flowers but none were blooming at the same time and it didn't have that pop I was looking for. However the white shrubs look great against the brown house. I still have whites but I think I need more, most of my whites are shrubs, like the camelia bush, at the same time I like the evergreens so I need to find a balance.
I can just feel the warm sunshine on my body looking at those. 
Zinnias in my container in Chelan
Container by the back door
..Spring,.love those Iris! Would you believe I planted 30 this year? Hope they do well. 
