I am a confirmed, dyed in the wool DIY'er and with budget limitations that further require this approach. I feel as if I am smart, I know how to research, and so I should be able to learn how to do almost anything well enough to suit me needs. My previous homes landscaping was my first foray into the field and I attacked it- I read, I went on garden tours, I went to plant shows, seminars, and everything else under the sun to learn the basics. As a result I had a yard full of plants that had each been moved ten times in order to try and obtain the look I wanted. It was exhausting and this method continued for nearly six years. We joked about my plants having frequent flyer miles- my husband is a saint because he dug, moved things, and did everything I asked over and over and over in my attempts to capture a look. The money we spent on plants! Only to remove them and give them away when they did not work- it is sickening how much time and money we wasted. When we decided to redo all of our fencing I took the plunge and hired a landscape designer to make me a plan that we could implement as funds allowed. I was on a totally tight budget and did everything I could to make it easy for her to do my job- I had a survey ready for her, I had measurements, I had a list of every plant I owned that I wanted to incorporate and a list of those species I did not want, and I had clear ideas of the function of each space within my yard. She came up with a plan that totally did it for me. This was in 1996 and I think it cost me something like $350. The only items I had her company install were three larger shade trees. Everything else we did on our own over the next few years and it turned out beautifully. I know for a fact that is what sold the house in a very poor real estate market in '07- the house itself had problems but the curb and garden appeal were off the charts and the rear garden was a wonderland. Which is my long winded way of telling you that IMO spending money on a solid design up front is far cheaper in the long run that trying to do it yourself, especially if you don't have a demonstrated knack for it. You can spend that much money on plants at Home Depot in one weekend only to have half of them fail from being repeatedly moved or be inappropriate to your needs once you get them home. It would be FAR cheaper and more efficient, IMO, to work off of a sound design from the beginning. If you like you can substitute various plants within the design but the solid bones of the plan- the balance, the scale, working with textures- some things just go more smoothly and successfully when you bring an expert into the process. Of course you can do what you like- but IMO planting a plant one time and having it be the right plant for the specific spot that serves the intended purpose and renders you a gorgeous, easily maintained, well functioning yard- well that's worth the price of a professional design. I don't have any idea what they are charging nowadays but I do know that this yard will be with you for decades, or at least as long as you remain in the home. It is your daily environment, it influences your life constantly, it is the space our kids grow up in and remember all their lives. Even if I had to skip this years vacation or put off that bigger TV I would try and find a way to insure that my design was sound and the best way to accomplish that, IMO, is to have a pro do it.

My yard is also a small city lot, and the backyard orchard culture has a lot of advantages. Around 25 years ago, I read up on peach trees that ripened early, midseason, and late; bought, and planted three close together in one hole, and enjoyed a succession of fresh peaches over the summer. My friend, who only had one peach tree, had a large glut of peaches all at once, and was having a hard time using them, giving them away. One of my peach trees died at around ten years old, the other two around fifteen to eighteen years old. The only pruning I did was to shape the branches so they didnÂt crowd or shade each other too much, letting them intertwine. The clay soil drainage there wasnÂt very good, floods in winter, which may be why they eventually died. IÂve replaced them with a raised box of four pluot trees, as shown on the Wilson website, and have added a four box of four citrus trees, four plum trees, and a combination apricot/nectarine/apriot four box. Also an apple hedge (planted 4 feet apart) along the north and south property line, and a grape hedge in the front yard, (replacing a boxwood and ivy hedge) The one apple tree I planted solo twenty years ago grew big, over produced, blew over in a wind storm. I donÂt think IÂll ever go back to solo tree plantings, unless they are heavily grafted with a variety of scions. There are just too many cultivars to try and enjoy, and IÂm at an age now to appreciate quality rather than quantity. Life is too short for grass lawns, boxwood/ivy hedges.

Hi Kimberly, I am just north of you. I have a half acre, very wooded subivision lot that is crammed with all the fruit my husband will let me plant. (Most of my landscaping is getting replaced with ornamental bushes that fruit!) One suggestion that I would have for you is to pick very disease resistant, low-care trees/bushes/plants. My friend who lives around the corner from me has a large planting of apples, pears, cheries, etc., but has a lot of trouble with insects and disease. There are definitely varieties of apples and pears that are easier to grow than others due to disease resistance. Sweet cherries are going to be tough without a lot of spraying. I have two Carmine Jewel cherry bushes that are more like pie cherries but only get 6 feet tall, so they can be netted. Birds and especially squirrels are a big problem here. If I had your space, I would definitely do the cane fruits - Navaho and Triple Crown blackberries, Caroline red raspberries, Jewell black raspberries, etc. Easy - and if you net them, you will get to eat them. Some unusual and low care fruit trees you might consider are American Persimmon - Yates is supposed to be delicious and productive without a male. I am going to plant a Nikita's Gift hybrid persimmon in the spring. Also, an Illinois Everbearing mulberry gets lots of good reviews on this forum. The animals are the only thing you will have to fight for those trees. Both persimmons and mulberries are extremely nutritious, too. Good luck and have fun! Mary Kay

Basu: I currently only hand irrigate, not a lot: only when things are getting to the point where they HAVE to have water. Eventually I plant to have a better set up, but probably drip irrigation and swale irrigation (a more natural alternative) along with other alternative forms of irrigation. I will say that if your land slopes away from your home, I wouldn't worry about leveling the land too much. Be thankful. My entire property, the water goes TOWARDS all buildings (especially since neighbor removed her gutters). It's been a huge problem and a very $$$: we get more frequent torrential rains now than when I moved here 15 years ago: meaning it doesn't rain as often, but when it does: boy, lookout!! it's hard to deal with. I have purchased some plants from Johnson's but I have found their current catalog lacks any of the wonderful cultural information their previous catalogs has, but their website still seems the same. Their orchard supply has many organic or low toxicity sprays for conventional fruit, but you'd still have to do it unless you find the "magic tree" (yes, sometimes they exist!!). You also have to hope that the climate works in your favor and flowering for fruit happens when the bees are able to do their work. It's becoming more variable with climate change. New and alternative fruits (for this climate) often flower during warmer periods, and provide a new source of fruit during challenging times.