Post-Construction Yard Restoration Part 2

The second project that we have going on in the wake of construction is the area that I call the Camelia Garden. When we moved in this part of the yard was an overgrown but nicely defined area bordered by an L shaped corner of the house on two sides, some shrubs on another and an slope with (probably bird-planted) an apple tree, holly bush and juvenile oak all in close proximity. Two old camelias had been planted as foundation plantings on the north facing wall outside the living room windows.

Here is a picture of the area as you came around the corner. Please note that this picture was part of the realtor's collection of photos. Also note that angle and cropping are everything in garden photos!!!!
Here is another picture of the area that is not quite so flattering. I took this one and it shows a little more of the overgrown quality. But you can see that there is a "secret garden" quality to the area.
This picture is from the other side of the area, but notice you are seeing the same living room windows. Note the ivy covering EVERYTHING!!!! Although if you just move in a little closer you can see that the camelias are large and old and the area has definite charm!

I didn't find any pictures from just before the construction started, but we had removed ivy and a few suckering trees, as well as the wildly out of place volunteer palm tree whose fronds you can see on the right of the above photo . I had discovered that there was an old quince under the ivy just opposite the camelias, I had planted under the camelias, (an oak leaf hydrangea, for example) and Mom and D had given us a nice white cast iron set of chairs, settee, and table. The area was definitely coming along nicely!

But then... construction destruction!You can see that one of the camelias is a distinctly unhappy yellow. Getting further away
you can see that all that remains of the shrubs that defined the side of the garden opposite the living room is my heavily pruned quince! But don't worry! El Esposo has plans!

He is putting in a small stone patio that will define a seating area. I never knew there was so much preparation work involved in laying stone.

The hole is now dug and filled with decomposed granite and then sand.
And in the corner I've done some planting (thanks for the verbena, Mom!) and we got a fountain.Now I am planning the plantings that will surround the area and turn it back into a secret!