[Yaggo]

> Most clients just want a complete functional website not just a design. So I learned HTML, CSS and eventually Javascript, and PHP.

I think you are answering yourself. If your clients are your motivation to learn coding, it doesn't surprise me at all that you don't love it. Most of (good) coders learn to code because they are simply fascinated by the coding itself. They are not paid for it.

If graphic design is what you love, maybe you could try to extend your contact network to digital media / e-business companies that would buy your designs and do the actual coding for their CMS? I used to be a web frontend developer in a company that regularly bought designs from "trusted" freelancers.

Having knowledge of HTML/CSS/JS is one of the key requirements for a good web designer, so your learning is absolutely not misspend.