We've just closed on a new home, complete with zero landscaping, on the Northern Idaho/Washington border. The builder had about 1" of topsoil spread around, but the recent rains have brought the evidence of the rocky soil to the surface. The backyard needs some grading, and I guess we can mow the weeds for the kids for a while . . . but we need to be able to get some grass growing soon so they can play, and we can get a play structure up for them. My concerns are these:

1. I don't want to take weeks figuring out my end-all landscape plan before I do anything--it's a 1500 sq ft house on an acre lot, and the kids need to be able to play outside! (Or mommy is going to go crazy . . . lol)

2. It would be best if we could put in a sprinkler system before the lawn goes in, so I don't spend my time moving hoses and sprinklers, etc., getting the lawn established while I'm also trying to get everything unpacked, and get through the last trimester of pregnancy. I just don't want to be locked into a certain yard configuration/layout, by the sprinkler system. Is there a way to make it flexible enough to allow for the slower, more experimental way I want to develop my yard, and still get the benefits of having automatic irrigation for the lawn?

3. What's the difficulty to modify/add zones to/reconfigure a sprinkler system once it has been installed?

I have a good book on sprinkler systems from Scott's, but it assumes that there's already an established, fairly static yard. I"m afraid that I feel like I don't know enough to even really ask the right questions, even though I have a good, basic understanding of what's available, and the abilities of the various components (sprinklers, drip, micro-irrigation, etc.).

So, any ideas? Anybody been where I am? Anybody have any idea if I can get a good play area for my kids without being locked into a certain lawn size/layout?

Thanks so much . . . . we're moving in two days, and this is crazy!