The link is not working for me. Can someone repost with pic in the message?

Sorry I am not sure what to tell you about what to grow there. If you can either break up the top few inches of soil or add some I don't see why a shade tollerant grass would not grow there. Here's a couple of the pics' from my other PC.

Good luck.

{{gwi:111830}}
{{gwi:111831}}

You can have 'green expanse' or you can have 'under trees' but you can't combine the two. The area under the trees will not be very green, because you can't grow grass in the shade. Let me repeat that: you can't grow grass in the shade.

My advice would be to identify 'shade' areas that you would like to grow grass in, by standing on those areas, both in the morning, and the evening. Look up at the sky and figure out which tree is causing that spot to be shaded. (There it is, that big scruffy X tree, over there). Go cut down the tree. Repeat as needed.

Most backyards that have a 'wooded' effect (I say effect, because it's really an illusion) that have a pleasant and manageable lawn are not wooded. They are wooded way over there, on the boundary of the lot, but not in the middle. The grass grows in the middle (because there's no trees), but the grass does not grow over there, by the trees. Too much shade.

And many lots have had pleasant lawns (out in the middle, away from the shade of trees) and then lost part or all of the lawn, five to ten years later. Why? Because the trees grew, branches filled in, or got taller, and now we have shade. As you know from chapter (make that paragraph) one, you cannot grow grass in the shade. It's just that simple.

So it's cut down a few trees, or learn to live with a wooded lot.

Good luck with it.

I see grass growing in very shady places and those pics don't look that shady to me.
I'm guessing that is CA. You could perhaps use something like a shade mix containing mostly fine fescue. It can grow in a dry shade. If your climate is too dry though that may not work because the grass may need irrigation. It is afterall a lawn we're tlaking about here.
You could also spread mulch under the trees which you'd want to do anyway.

Why would you want to buy yourself years of aggravation, expense and labor? Not only do you have a lot of shade there, your have DRY shade, because the trees are sucking up a lot of moisture.

On the other hand, you could create a very nice woodland theme there. Mulch heavily with shredded leaves and evergreen needles, plant ferns, solomon seal, bluebells, hosta, vinca, and whatever shade plants will grow there (keeping moisture level in mind), and then add paths, some large rocks, a rustic bench, maybe some big pieces of deadwood, all arranged in some sort of artistic fashion. This area could be a real showpiece.

I'd think if you wanted an expanse of grass, you'd have to take down most of the trees. That'd be sad.

I think you can grow fine fescue back there. Remove the smaller trees and brush. Trim the lower branches off the larger trees, prepare the soil by leveling and raking as much as you want and sow a quality blend of fine fescues. I have fine fescue growing in a shaded area in my yard. Note the trees in the background.
{{gwi:110325}}
Bill Hill

I don't know where your located so it might not work. My father had similar issues with oak trees and after having the oak trees pruned and cutting the lower limbs to allow some sun to come in he's had a very nice lawn under his oak trees for years. He has St Augustine under his trees and centipede in full sun.

I agree with the mulching under the trees. This is a must. I would suggest large mulched areas, at least 10-15ft radius out from each tree. Make irregular/curvy shapes that encompass groups/clusters of trees.

IMO, chris_ont suggestion is right on for your situation. You might consider planting grass closer to your home, and transforming the far back into the suggested woodland theme.

Thanks for all the feedback! I'm sorry I omitted to say that I live in Texas, in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

I guess the mulching around the trees will take care of most of the area, then I'll try the fescue next spring and if that doesn't work out, I'll look into the ferns and woodland area. Not that here is really for outdoor living - too hot, it's more like just for outdoor looking...

NO!!! Don't grow fescue! It will never survive in that area. I live there as well.

The only grass that will grow in shade in this hot weather is st augustine but they need to be watered every once in a while, maybe twice a month just to keep them alive during the hottest part of the summer. I can imagine it'd be costly to water that much area if we had dry year like 2005 and 2006. I'd just keep about 30-40 feet deep from the house into the backyard free of tree to have a nice lawn with the trees surrounding it. Of course it depends if it faces west which can get pretty hot from after noon sun. You could plant a nice small tree closer to the house like shantung maples (www.metromaples.com) for shade if needed.

You could turn it into some kind of arboretum where you can enjoy outdoor as you walk around with all kinds of plants like japanese maples, abelia, azaleas (if the soil is acidic), and it goes on. You can take some trees out to let some sun in. Go to ft worth botanical gardens or Dallas Arboretum to get an idea of what it looks like.