Since it's a faux mailbox and doesn't need to meet postal code, how about mounting it actually ON the corner post? I think that would look cleaner than having a second post near the corner of the picket fence. Or, for an alternate idea, how about a cute birdhouse mounted on the post instead? If you do decide to do the faux mailbox thing, just make sure to check with your postmaster first because there are regulations about what you can and can't do with mailbox-like items. (I know it seems silly, but we actually had to move our mailbox because it was 1.5' too far from the street)

You people are great! So much input and so fast. So here's a little more info on what I'm thinking: - Privacy: We would like to have privacy in the yard. The windows are not an issue. We are in the yard a lot as soon as it's nice enough outside and practically have every meal outside. The neighbors use their yard not as much but often enough, the lady runs a day care out of her house, and they mainly use their back entrance for coming and going. Right now it's so open you bascially cannot not say Hi. And while they are nice, I'd like to have the option of ignoring them once in a while without seeming rude. :) So I guess, we don't need a castle just more view protection from their yard/walkway into our yard, especially our sitting area and my hammock. A picture of the other side of the yard from early summer so you can imagine the whole thing. On the patch of concrete in front of the hammock is now a table with 6 chairs. As you can see there's not so much sheltering us from the other neighbor either, but it's not so bad. The impression is different because of the oak tree "ceiling" and the rose bush (hard to see, it's hidden behind the tree from this perspective). And I've had some annual climbers grown on 5 ft supports. They came with the house and are not pretty but for now they'll do. Also, the neighbor is never in the yard and we rarely see him coming or going... Walkway: The first thing I wanted to get rid off was this ugly concrete path, especially since it cuts the yard in half like that. But after I figured out how much it would cost to remove the concrete and then to put down a more appealing alternative, and into how many plants/other yard structures that would convert, my plan for now is to try to develop a plan around the existing walkway, maybe add arches for depth, a focal point in the middle of the pathway, have the "rooms" go off to the side of the path, and stain the concrete a dark color. No lawn yard: I'm really in a total starting phase. I went outside and measured everything yesterday. When I get it on graphing paper and some ideas down I will run it by you guys. So far the following ideas are floating in my head: Since it would be better if the pathway could stay, my thought was to go with the geometry of the space (square) and have square four rooms that go off from the path. The patio will stay where it is. It's convenient too because of the shade from the oak tree. I would like to make the hammock area into a retreat corner. Surrounding vegetation for that should be at least chest high. For the back right side there are a few things in my head but nothing concrete yet. It has the most sun. A sitting spot with a rockgarden. Or with perennials centering around peonies. Or... On the left side the front may be kept open for a child play area maybe with sandbox. I may actually keep the lawn there or replace it with a no mow stepable groundcover. But I would want to widen the flowerbed or planting area next to the fence at least a few feet. Then something to divide the "childplay room" from the back left. I was thinking of a veggie garden there since it gets decent sun, but I'm not yet sure how much we'll be here enough during the crictical months of the summer. It may have to be a yard to be enjoyed in early and late summer. If not veggies, then I don't know yet. All this hasn't been scatched out so I have no idea if I'm trying to cram much too much into our small yard and should depart from the four room idea. Fence: It's stained from what I can tell. And it's worn off in quite a few places. I'm from Germany and I don't know what people do with the fences here in this climate. I'll find out. Re: the privacy issue so far I like the idea of supports that maybe mimmick the shape of the pickets maybe just part of the whole length. I worry that posts and wires will not look good. I will also look into tall, narrow pergolas, but I find the structures usually too "heavy" for our little yard. Or just plain ugly looking. ;) But maybe there are some out there that could fit the bill. Karin, what would you do if the pathway was to stay? I liked your thinking, I just don't think it's in the budget... Hmh... lots to think about... Thanks so much already. And keep it coming.

We used these http://www.lowes.com/pd_254097-80032-504018_4294753320__?productId=3457864&Ns=p_product_avg_rating:1&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_avg_rating%7C1&facetInfo= It looks nice and does the job. Our purpose was to keep our yorkiepoo from running off after squirrels and dogs, whatever. We can let her out to do her business and feel safe. It also keeps other dogs OUT. It's not really high, so a dog bent on getting her could probably jump,it but we don't leave her unattended. The fence is installed with spikes that you pound into the ground, then there are poles that lock the panels together by sliding though holes at the top and bottom and into the spike. Easily removable. Its nice that it is see through, so it doesnt break up the sightlines. We didn't want to spend what a true fence costs, didn't want to get permits, and wanted to be able to remove or reconfigure if needed. It could even be taken down and taken with us if we move! Here is a link that might be useful: Easy fence at lowes or maybe HD to

Enigma, all that I know can go in a nutshell, sorry to say, BUT I HAVE IDEAS AND OPINIONS. hehehehe First off, if you are up north, do you have a lot of ROCK? In the case of my DH's house, you cannot dig anywhere w/o turning up ROCKS and some are huge. (We have NO ROCKS here, so I have serious ROCK ENVY, but no way to bring them south.) He put the power line in when he built that rock wall, so it was all underground. I'm not sure where your electrical panel might be located, but probably around the spot the overhead power cables come to your house--near your driveway and garage? The cost could run from getting a larger breaker box and power supply (old homes had 100 amp service, but most now have 200 amp service or greater, and that means a lot of work for your power company and fully licensed electrician. I'm all for solar too, like emagineer is. LEDs are the latest thing because the actual light emitted is greater. If those don't have the color you want, you can always filter the glass surrounding them! Put some cellophane inside the lamp if necessary. I'm still thinking you could get a Toro system which has a solar panel stuck into the flower bed, and then low voltage cable that can be concealed 4 inches or so underground for a string anywhere from 50 feet up to 150 feet. The cable can run up the middle of a metal pole to the lamp. OR, you can route a groove into a wooden lamp post and then use cable tacks to hold the low voltage cable in the groove as it runs up the wood post. In your neck of the woods, you don't have to worry about termites, but make any pole a treated wood. It can be painted white or black too. I think you can also just find the lamp you like and then wire it to 12 volt instead of house power, and put in the size of socket you like. Several years back, I had a really fine solar panel which I mounted on the roof of my cottage at MoccasinLanding. It ran to a fairly large storage battery, which I mounted onto a shelf underneath the carport. The battery was mostly out of the weather, Then from the storage battery, there was a 12 volt cable attached to a motion detector and spot light. This was very bright, and it only came on when it detected any motion within its coverage area....which was the walkway to my front door. With this setup, you could have a brighter bulb because it did not stay on all the time, just when someone was moving into your yard. In my case, this light was the only one working during several hurricanes that hit Mobile. What a comfort it was too. I think it cost about $75 including panel, battery, and light. The point I'm making, consider all the options open to you and which would maximize your investment.