Ok, so I couldn't figure out how to post my actual soil test results. I am still kind of new to the forums here so any help would be appreciated.

My waterbill shows 1 year previous history, you should call your utility and ask about history. In this drought I am hoping your utility will want to share info with you. When and if you decide to replace it all...plan and research. Get some books, start with the Western Garden Book. You can't mix natives or drought tolerant plants with water needy plants very well.

Sharon I can't find the pictures of your path. I just started my adventure into gardening last year with vegetables. I was dared by my husband and that was all I needed. With the help of my dear fiend, (a master gardner and mentor) I cut down the necessary trees the next day and had the veggies & planted within the next 3days..so much for challenges in my family. I just made new beds and paths for my new perineal garden....a work in progress since it is just me and limited funds. For my paths, I called my tree man and asked if he would bring tree clipping from his jobs. To my surprise I ended up with 3 huge loads that I made my paths, saving the rest to season. Maybe not the best material for a path, but it was free and it fades into my landscape nicely. Now I am adding plants as I can afford. Love this site.

In addition to "privacy and entertaining space" can we presume that you will also want to enhance the yard/house by improving the appearance and views with plantings? If so, we'd need to see the complete back house face, and the outward looking view (toward the property line) from the most likely patio location, which would be just outside the back door. For the latter, place the camera outside the back door and begin by aiming toward farthest left. While remaining in the same camera position, continue panning/pivoting the camera, taking slightly overlapping shots until you have captured the far right view. The house will show in the first and last picture. To capture the house, move the camera to the property line, in line with the center of the house, looking back at it. Take pictures that begin at the left side property line. Continue panning all the way to the right side property line, with the house in between the starting and finishing point. All of this can probably be dine in about 7 or 8 pictures. Describe exactly where the back lot line is (per something visible in the picture.)