Great pond! What an opportunity, basically starting from scratch! I found the link below to the Georgia Native Plant Society's (GNPS) list. There are a lot of plants on there that prefer a moist habitat, and there's also a gallery link to see what many of the plants on the list look like. :) (The link below is currently showing spring-bloomers/growers. To see others, click on the links at the top of that page.) Brenda Here is a link that might be useful: Spring bloom chart from the GNPS

How nice that you have a pond! I wish my pond was finished. I, myself am leaning towards a Japanese feel when my pond is finished. I like the sound of the plants you have so far, almost Japanese garden like. Just need a bit more info. Do you have a specific look or feel that you want to the area? It is hard to tell from the pic, but it looks like there is a couple of tree branches in the lower right corner of your picture, so my question is, do you have a large shade tree near by that will be shading the area? That will determine what kind of plants will do well near your pond (and as far as suggestions go for plants from us.)

I'd start by researching with your town what can be done on your easement. For instance, can you put up a fence of any kind such as a wire fence that would restrict a dog but allow sight and water flow? Are there limits on what you can plant? Woodies, herbaceous? Does the backyard easement start where the dirt ends or is that the property line? I can't tell if the star is giving both the side and back boundary or just the side. What do you want to do with your backyard other than have a dog? A patio or entertainment space or a spot for kids to play or lush gardens or . . . For now, have your meeting with the engineer and find out if the city has a written policy on drainage easements so it's clear what you can and cannot do in those spaces. Get grass seed and preferable straw down quickly so that you keep erosion from happening and seed can start growing before it gets too hot. Consider mixing in some annual rye grass to help with protecting the soil while perennial grasses fill in. Once you have a clear idea on the limitations the easement will create and have a wish list beyond the dog and screening from the neighbor's slider, come back and let us know so you can get suggestions.

The outdoor structure is attached to the house as part of the roof. Removing it will change the roof structure and incur a large expense. U can update the posts but those type are very common here in Southern California. U can paint white and add cone lights to the bottom to give more light. For your yard I believe in using space for whatever u need it. Seating areas are great u can always buy a bar if u don’t want to build one in. Matching your pavement is going to be a challenge because that pavement is from the 60s. I do see play equipment. You could do synthetic if u don’t have a dog and u can always put chairs and a bar on synthetic. Also it is unsafe to put a charcoal grill under a structure. We have to put in vent hoods if we put a grill in and our grills are gas not charcoal.