What's Wrong With This Picture?

So - yesterday was my quarterly extermination visit, which was a little more involved than they usually are and my exterminator buddy suggested for my health that I leave the house for 4 hours while everything dried. Better than what they used to tell me when I was sick: overnight at a hotel.

But still ... I was just out THE DAY BEFORE! What was I going to do?

Made me a list and decided my main goal would be to give my two indoor 'gardens' a face lift. They are looking a little peaked. I don't know if it is because it is winter and all my live plants are not appreciating the less light, or my general lack of attention to them being gone so much - or maybe it is that I am not blasting my music all the time (when I am in Australia). The trees are looking especially bad. I think this happens every year - they decide they are supposed to lose all their leaves and I am convinced they are dying - just to have them rally and grow a new set of leaves and just 'get by' one more year. They look like they are just barely hanging one right now ...

So - off to do a few errands, then to Hobby Lobby and HEB (to see their live plant selection and I had to go anyway) then up one exit to Michael's. I was armed with my fun money cash so Gary couldn't say anything about my expenditures (OK, well ... he can - but I don't have to listen or feel guilty). I was ready to do some shopping.

Got to Hobby Lobby and their flowers and plants arrangements and individual pieces were all on sale. So - all the more fun for me! I filled a cart to the brim and had to use two carts to get everything out to the car.

Went next to HEB and found the cutest little live plants for $1.99 - and who can pass that up? Also, why just get a couple when a half dozen are yelling 'Pick me! Pick me!'?

Off to Michael's. Saw the 'Home Goods' store next to it and never actually made it into Michael's. Saw a bunch of lovely flower arrangements in there for very reasonable prices. So much so that I filled up another cart. And on home.

Started unloading and taking everything out of their bags. looked around and my kitchen looked like a flower shop had exploded in it. I started thinking that maybe I had overdone it a wee bit. Made my arrangements and fixed up Garden #1 - the one in the back of our house.

So - here's the question - I have been looking at Garden #1 pretty much most the night and it just looks ... well ... wrong. I don't think it is sleep deprevation. So all you talented people out there: Help a gal who doesn't have a decorating bone in her body - what am I doing wrong? Is it too much? Too little? Too many flowers? Too much green? Not enough sleep? Just plain stupid to have 'gardens' in your house?

The "help" sign is hiding a blank spot - I had to stitch a couple of photos together and there was a blank I was too lazy to try to fix.

So that is Garden #1. Problem is - I have a sink full of live babies:

A kitchen table still looking a wee bit full of flowers:

And Garden #2 isn't looking that empty right now - I stuck a plant that apparently loves it when I am gone since it keeps growing and it is filling up the back corner.

I have started putting random little ones in other areas:

But, if the problem with Garden #1 is that there is too much - I am in trouble here in a few minutes when I get started on Garden #2.

So - let me know what I am doing wrong - or better yet - come on over and straighten me out!

What do you say - PhotoShop lessons for interior decorating advice? Good trade?