(http://www.gutterflycomix.com/nearthedelta/images/gardenmockupone.jpg)
I spy:
* Clashes between gradients and flat colouring
* Clashes between outlined objects and objects without outlining
* Textures - you're better off without them
* Too little ground - in an adventuregame, you'd want to have plenty of walkable area.
* Water drawn as a part of the background. In order to animate it, you'll need to import it as sprites. Leave it out for now.
What isn't outined there?
I'm guessing by outlining he means black outlines. So anything without black outlines is without outlining.