Planning a design or free form garden

OK, I'll admit I haven't gardened in a few years and couldn't this year due to my back surgery. Next spring or earlier I want to have some pretty plants and flowers and the more unusual the better. I prefer free form (that just looks like it came up on its own) as to rows/sections of Hostas, Mexican heather and petunias, etc. I want it all mixed. So... my question is, do I just select plants that have the same sun/shade requirements? If you think I sound crazy, you're right. Wink

And I am probably not making sense. I will have to have a defined bed, as I am not as lucky as Glenda is to just have all the room in the world and have things growing here and there. Maybe I'll have to get her to my house so she can help, since she doesn't have anything else to do now Exclamation

I want some Tulips, Daffodils late winter plants, then go into the spring. I want something growing all the time. Is that possible?

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If you have a shady area and a sunny area then you can have plants with different requirements. But if you have one area you are planting, the plants must be all of the same sun/shade requirement and pretty much the same water requirements.

Hostas require shade, whereas the Mexican Petunia requires full sun. Ferns and Hosta's require moist soil but lavender requires dry soil. There are many plants that will do well in Sun to Partial Shade that you could possibly put together.
Full Sun means at least 6 hours of full sun per day, partial shade could mean morning sun/afternoon shade....especially in the hot Texas sun. But if a plant requires Partial Shade to Full Shade, that means very little or no sun or possibly just a bright location without direct sun.

Since Texas, especially as far south as you are, doesn't get a whole lot of real winter weather you should have no problem finding evergreen plants or blooming plants for every season. Winter before last I had dwarf Hollyhocks blooming all during the season called winter, last year my Tuscan Blue Rosemary bloomed from November thru March even when with the ice and snow on it.
You have the option of the myriad native plants we have in Texas plus a lot of tropicals will do fine where you are without special needs such as hot houses or conservatories.

I would suggest making a list of plants you really want to have, it is very likely members here can help you with their growing requirements so you can decide if they will work in your garden.