The first thing that needs to be done is the front flowerbed next to the stairs needs to be raised. Since this flowerbed is closest to the door, it is the one that we may decide to put some real color in. Remember, color means attention and not paying it the attention it needs means it will die.
With our house, the backyard is segregated. To a visitor, the only feasible way to the backyard is to go through the house. This is not good for us while we are living in the house and is not good for the resale value. Currently, should someone wish to enter the backyard without going through the house, they would look to the right and see a city ditch and look to the left and see the neighbors' driveway. It is not clear how exactly one would get to the backyard. Pathstones would be a clear guide and can be easily incorporated into a rock bed or on the outside border of a flowerbed.
Once a person has reached the far left side of the house, integrating a feature that would both welcome the visitor and show clearly that they are not stepping into our neighbors' property would continue the guide into the backyard. An arbor tunnel will give privacy to the visitor (and our neighbor) and it will welcome the visitor to the backyard. This picture is pretty close to what I have in mind but our pathway is more narrow so we won't be able to fit a flowerbed on both sides. Rather than the archway shaped arbors this person is using, we will do traditional rectangular arbor. The right side will actually fastened to the outside wall of the house.
This tunnel will bring the visitor all the way up to the end of the lower deck because once the upperdeck is built, there will only be one access point to either deck from the yard. The rock bed and pathway stones that currently sits near the gate will be taken out completely and a barrier will be put up. Pathway stones will continue past the tunnel and wrap around the lower deck until the path meets the stairway to the upperdeck.
From the end of the tunnel, two features will start, one will be a new stone pathway that will welcome visitors further into the yard. The key feature to this path is that it "never ends". It will stretch down the left side of the yard until it meets the backgate. Near the far right corner of the yard will be a arbor trellis covered in vine with a small porch on each side comprised of the same stones used to make the path. This will connect our yard "garden" to the natural "garden" on the other side. It will send the message that the woods behind our yard is not some foreign place absent of any value but rather a warm woodland. This pathway should look more natural and as well as any other features since this will match more aesthetically with the woodland.
In the far left corner will be the garden shed. This shed will stretch as far as eight feet down the backside hiding much of the chain link fence. For the rest of the backside fence, I say we put up a wood fence. Again, keeping with something that looks somewhat natural. I was thinking about a split rail fence, but I think that would cost too much. This doesn't look too pricy. Again, focusing on doing as much as we can without spending a ton of money. From the looks of it, we might even be able to leave up the chain link fence and just add this fence in front of it to cover it up. This fence will allow a clear view into the woodland which will look good when I am done cleaning it up.
Here is a picture of the arbor I have in mind. Not anything extravagant, just something that indicates it is an entryway.
The other feature that will begin once a visitor has passed the tunnel will be a 8' arborvitae privacy screen. It will stretch down the left side to the garden shed and will serve the purpose of both hiding the chain link fence and blocking a direct view to our neighbors.
On the right side will be simple hedges that will come up to the same height as the chain link fence so that both the fence will be hidden and the city ditch. Just like these only shorter. We may decide to include a few of the same trees from the privacy screen so that it doesn't contrast too much.
Once it starts getting colder, I am going to turn that old stump into a fire pit and burn it into the ground as far as I can get it to go. I have had several people tell me that is the best way to get rid of it. After this, we can possibly make it into a flowerbed or just put a huge fucking potted plant on top of it. It puts me at ease and makes me super excited about the landscaping now that I have an idea of what needs to be done. Of course, I definitely value your input. I have the advantage of looking at this stuff while at work and so I am a step ahead of you. Much of what I am going over we have already talked about. Again, the two things to focus on is plants that take care of themselves and creating a flow that brings visitors from the front to the back.
