Using Row and Column within Manipulate

Questions
1

I’ve looked at the advanced guide on this and have a small question.
In the specification of Manipulate there has to be an expression/s and there has to be a variable/s or Control/s. Either of these can be wrapped in Row or Column - see my source code example.
However I am wondering if there is anyway to wrap both the expression and the variable part under a single Column (say)?
If I alter my source so the Row statement sits within the Column statement, rather than after, then the system complains of a missing variable section.
The reason I would like to do this is to have maximum control over both controls and plots using the Grid family.

Manipulate[
 Column[  {Plot[Sin[(a^b * x)], {x, 0, 6}],
      Plot[Sin[(a * x)], {x, 0, 6}],   }]
 ,
Row[{Control[ {a, 1, 10, ImageSize -> Tiny}],    Control[ {b, 1, 2, ImageSize -> Tiny}]}]
 ] (* anyway to get the Row statement within the Column staement???? *)
2

If you want to use Manipulate, you could use something like the following (using ControlType → None):

Manipulate[
 Column[{Dynamic@Plot[Sin[(a^b*x)], {x, 0, 6}], 
   Dynamic@Plot[Sin[(a*x)], {x, 0, 6}], 
   Row[{Control[{a, 1, 10, ImageSize -> Tiny}], 
     Control[{b, 1, 2, ImageSize -> Tiny}]}]}], {{a, 1}, 
  ControlType -> None}, {{b, 1}, ControlType -> None}]

You can also use DynamicModule as well:

 DynamicModule[{a, b}, 
 Panel@Column[{Dynamic@Plot[Sin[(a^b*x)], {x, 0, 6}], 
    Dynamic@Plot[Sin[(a*x)], {x, 0, 6}], 
    Row[{Control[{a, 1, 10, ImageSize -> Tiny}], 
      Control[{b, 1, 2, ImageSize -> Tiny}]}]}, Background -> White]]
3

Neat -thanks.