I have grown vegetable gardens and started fruit orchards in the past and I will again in the future but I have to admit, I am an avid flower gardener all the time.
In fact, I just got in from working on a shade garden in the back.... astilbe, heuchera, hostas, goat's beard, lacecap hydrangea, oakleaf hydrangea, Japanese painted ferns, tiarella, spiderwort.... ahhhhhh!!! I love playing in the dirt!!
I have a "hot" (yellows, oranges and peaches) tropical garden in the front and my old English rose garden with yarrow and Russian sage off the side of the house.
Treetop, tell your fiance to look on ebay if she's looking for some harder to find iris or daylilies... I've had good luck there. Also, www.bluestoneperennials.com is a great mail order nursery that usually has a buy 2 get 1 free sale in early spring. I've been very happy with them.
I rarely buy from local nurseries unless it's something very common and inexpensive that I would pay more in shipping for.