OMGosh!! I was so pleasantly surprised to see such great responses to my challenge! And I'm seriously not offended by any comments...it is a crappy backyard that has been NEGlected!!! for many years. Only our wolf shep goes back there and that's when it doesn't rain (she's a prissy dog). I love all the suggestions and I will be putting them all into the design of this backyard. DH and I are moving back to his hometown of Peebles, OH in about two years, so I have time. I have already started cleaning out the garbage (no brainer there), and today I started my summer spraying for pests and weeds. I love the cardboard idea...hubby does A/C and has loads of this available! We can get free mulch up the road...just gotta rest my muscles for that...worked in front and side yard all day today. See pics in the link below. (And I'm burnt-damn irish skin). I am open to any suggestions of types of plants or designs. I'm also open to any seeds or cuttings...I'll pay postage!!I will be making soft line (squiggly) beds...like I see them do on tv. I think it will be very asthetic and pleasing since it is a very boxed in area. There will be a privacy fence up along the back of the yard, the side where the shed is (will be painted and trellis for vine put up on patio side)...I like the idea for the lattice and then maybe some vine there as well. The privacy fencing on that side is neighbors and they are really nice young family...no worries there. The other side (where bike is) connects to our other property. My son and nephew live there. That is a whole other yard to clean up! We are going to pave in the largest part of the drive on that property with recycled asphalt. Then I'll line with tropicals along the fence. I am putting in my sunflowers where the side beds are now along the fence like in 04. Along with the trops that are there. The crotons are doing wonderful there as well as the arbicolas and broms. We are putting another chain link gate just to the front of the side steps to the back door (really the side but who cares LOL). Then I can hide slightly in the corners of gate with trops. DH won't let me put privacy fence there. I am very excited about this project and I THANK YOU ALL for your generous comments and offers!!! I could go on, but I'll let the pictures do the talking! Thanks again!! Check out new pictures from work we did today! Have a wonderful gardening week!! Kim P.S. I finally broke a nail (I have dragon lady nails) after two years! Here is a link that might be useful: April 2008 Garden

Landscaping a backyard for privacy means placing tall, screening shrubs near the offending property lines ... not close up to the house and patio. (There, you'd want to use low plants or overhead trees, or some combination thereof, between you and the view.) For the screening shrubs, you'd need to account for the varying light conditions, which means using a type of plant that can accept sun or shade, or using a variety of plants, each which accepts the conditions in which they are placed. Since you have a length of property to screen, it makes sense that you would place all the shrubs in a bed and keep them separate from the lawn. If you wished to incorporate any small tree forms in the mix, you might want to place groundcover below them instead of only mulch. (It's an opportunity for adding another element of interest. It could include groundcovers that bloom.) Since you want to screen the CL fence, too, it will be an L-shaped bed. If screening both CL fences, it would be U-shaped, following the fence and lot lines. The bed depth, front to back, should be sufficient to accommodate the shrub dimensions, which is going to be quite large ... so probably 8' or 10' depth. Understand that whatever ideas you are given and wish to contemplate, and possibly incorporate, need to be put in the form of a plan before you do any actual work. So prepare a base plan on which you can work out the ideas. You could begin that by tracing over a plot plan of your yard. If you don't have that, measure and draw out on graph paper.

I think this looks open but super fun and inviting. A great starting point. It all looks quite new? If so I’m assuming you aren’t up for taller fences but they would really help. You could add trees along the perimeter creating a kind of separation but it will be hard to find trees that will stay green. We have thirteen trees in our backyard but we had to put in flowering and fruit. So in the late spring and summer it’s awesome and green but winter it’s all open. The trees to really make a lovely barrier though. We have six good fencing on the sides and then a chain link at the back because we have a creek. So ignore that as you have a house behind you. But the trees are show some ideas. Not necessary varieties that are suitable in your area but the concept.

Please check with the city to see what the setback requirements are for new structures that are not grandfathered in. Also, read your deed to see what the easements for the power lines and power pole are. Then mark the easements with chalk or landscaper's paint (special type that vanishes after a while) on the ground. Understanding where the power company and phone company have rights to cut your shrubs is really important. You can try out several areas for a patio before hiring a landscape architect. Buy a three-cornered sail shade or a couple of patio umbrellas to move around. An elderly neighbor (who understandably may not be answering the door at this time) may be willing to give you a call if you mail a friendly letter with some photos and ask him to okay any light and easy repairs (e.g., paint, a few nails to shore up the wood) you are willing to do (if any, think about liability and safety first) or to just to give him a head's up about planting next to his fence. He probably has no idea what the structure looks like currently from your side.