I would like to point out that in the back (3rd picture), you've got a couple nasty invasives - several privet (ligustrum) blooming white and a good sized Tree of Heaven (long compound leaves). Certainly plan on taking those out when you are redoing that area and give yourself more room for desirable plants. Those probably just seeded themselves in.

A lovely set of pictures and perfect for discussion.

I forgot to mention that the front yard seems to be pretty much full sun and the backyard, mostly part shade, though it gets sunnier the closer it gets to the house. Also, the area is recovering from a drought so we are still on some drought restrictions. I can only water twice a week.

Great yard for some crapemyrtles and it looks as if you have a dogwood or redbud in the back corner so you might want to add a couple more, one at the end of the driveway with maybe some low spreading junipers ending the drive. Great bed area where the potted plants sit maybe encompassing the deck with perennials and flowering deciduous that draw hummers and bfly's. The same thing after you take out the hollies in the front. Keep it simple and low growing.

Here is a link that might be useful: Propagating Perennials

This house is perfect for a cottage type garden. I agree with taking out the hollies. Take your time to lay out nicely shaped curvaceous front beds. Make them deep enough. don't totally cover the windows. If that is a bald cypress tree they get very tall and make knees that come up all over. You might want to consider removing that before it gets too big and before a storm comes. Plant a smaller tree like a crape myrtle or other. In the back yard, I love the split rail fence and think that should be featured. I just love daylillies along a split rail fence. You can still see the fence. I wonder if you can do anything with the deck. It might look more integrated if painted white to go with the house more, but I wish I could see the bay window area and back door. So could the stairs be moved to come down right from the door ( I know, a big task) or add another set of stairs there, maybe much wider? Well not much advice but hope some of these suggestions are helpful. I really like your house and property. As a Hurricane Katrina survivor, I must say this (don't hate me) - please buy flood insurance if you dont' have it. I know it is a drought but at any time it can rain torrential rain or a tropical system sit on top of your region and what was once a sleepy little creek can become a huge raging river. Hope this never happens to any of you.
Laurie

Wow, you are making me miss my house in NC now. We use to have some Gardenias and Azaleas. Can't grow those here in KS. I think they add nicely to a cottage and informal feel. My Gardenias were in front of the house and I trimmed them back to avoid blocking the windows. If I remember right, the Azaleas and Rhododendrons love acidic soil. The Magnolia is another tree that I miss, and it had leaves year round.

Really cute house and nice yard. I can't offer too much design advise because it all depends on how you want to use your property, how much you want to spend, and how much maintenance you want to take on (read this forum further for similar posts). I can however help with plant selection as I live in the area.

As you plan your landscape, think "four-season." You want the landscape to look interesting in all seasons, not just in the spring and summer. For this area of NC, there's no better guide for woody plants than "The Year in Trees" by Kimm Tripp and the late JC Raulston. See the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Year in Trees

I agree with louisianagal the house would look lovely with a cottage style garden. I see a white picket fence with cascading roses.

I really envy you your sweeping backyard. If it were me, I'd focus on some natural planting along the back that I could view from the deck. I'd muck around by the creek, cut down the tree of heavan (ailanthus) and plant red maple, pin oak, sycamore, basswood, hemlock, river birch, sweetgum, nyssa sylvatica (common name escapes me, maybe black gum?) and silver maple. Some lovely specimen trees to look at, many with interesting winter bark. Then I'd plant some understory flowering shrubs--native rhodies (the carolinia ones, can't remember exactly, they smell great), witch hazel, amelanchier, sweetbay magnolia, spicebush, viburnums, etc. Then underplant with some pretty spring bulbs. I'd be vigilant to keep the poison ivy at bay. wood chip it, etc. Then sit back on my porch with some lemonade and watch the birds at the feeder. Up by the deck I'd plant some persian lilacs for the heavanly fragrance. A little grove of japanese maples and japanese white pine because I think those trees are gorgeous to look at. Then a big apple tree.

Someday I might put a brick patio at the bottom of the deck, with a pergola over it, with a climbing rose and wild clematis providing shade. My cousin has a similar back deck with a pergola, and the wild clematis does a good job of cascading over it.

My reasoning for doing decorative trees and shrubs and a more natural landscape is once they get started, much less time spent fussing with them than perrenials.

Is it in your budget to really enlarge the deck to make a really great outdoor living space? You have such a nice yard to enjoy.

Unfortunely, we can't enlarge the deck. I agree that it would be nice if it was a bit bigger though.

Thank you everyone for your help!

Yikes! Please don't plant River Birch if you can't water often, or Silver Maple anywhere!!! The S. Maples are considered garbage trees in my area---very brittle, messy, prone to lots of storm damage. The best investment I've made in my yard was the purchase of Michael Dirr's Manual of Woody Landscape Plants (2009 is the latest edition). It's pricy (around $70), but I can't begin to tell you how much I've learned about trees and shrubs from it, and how many mistakes it's helped me avoid. You might find a used copy on Amazon, or your library might have it. It's the book most often used by wise old master gardeners, landscape architects, etc. I came across your post while looking for pictures of bald cypress trees. Your front yard tree is either that or a dawn redwood. I'd actually keep either. They do get big, but so what? And the bald cypress only forms knees if it's in a lot of water, which yours won't be on that little knoll. I think they're great trees, and they're showing up a lot now in garden centers.

6 year old thread.