Immediately to the left of were the above shot ends is my driveway. The rose half round planters that are there are not quite in the picture. Here is a picture of them shot from the driveway looking down. But when you are in that front yard, it all comes together as one garden.
I am not quite finished with that front section as I intend to add spring flowering bulbs this fall but the summer additions will be the additional lilies. Then the zinnias will be replanted for the same look.
I am using this as an example of the way I might create a gardenbed.Often very difficult to explain in words what one can see in a picture.
As to contrasts. My garden is so intensity planted that no matter what you look at, you do not have to look far to see a different texture of form.