Amazon is right about Bermuda being tough and drought resistant. It would also be kid and pet friendly but it does have a dark side. It is extremely invasive which is okay if you don't mind it taking over your back yard, it is hard to get rid of if you later decide you don't want it, and it does go dormant in the winter. Just look before you leap with Bermuda. You didn't mention what part of Nevada you live in. I live in Las Vegas but conditions are so different in the Northern part of the state that plant selections would be very different. You sound like you want shade and of course there are shade structures available all over or great shade trees wherever you live. I think to get good help here you are going to need to be more specific. Do you want a lawn for the kids or would you rather have gravel or mulch for a ground cover. Do you want a tree for shade or would you rather have an arbor. Only you can answer those questions. Good Luck, Maria

For the path, I would get some bluestone powder and spread it over the path, sweeping it off the stones and into the crevices. Then, water it gently but thoroughly. The bluestone will harden nicely. If some weeds do mange to come through, you can pull them or spritz them with Round-up or vinegar. Your pictures are good, but maybe add one or two from further away to give the pros here an idea of the overall setting of the house. Also, you will get more suggestions for plantings if you tell people where you are located (zone and general area as one zone can have lots of differences from place to place) and how the sun/shade (north, south, east, etc.) hits the various beds. I would definitely remove those shrubs right against the house if only because they aren't very pretty! The round shrubs look like euonymous which many dislike, but I like it and I love that it is evergreen. I would move those, though and let them return to their unpruned natural shape which I think is very pretty. Oops, just reread and see you said you are keeping them. Yes, you can prune them down, but then let them grow naturally. Then you can prune out a third every year to keep them from getting too big. If they are euonymous, ours are about seven feet high. Before you plant anything, work on the soil by adding compost and composted manure to the entire area where you plan to plant and perhaps the entire yard. You don't want to just enrich soil in a planting hole when you add a shrub, tree, or perennials. It looks as if you have a nice yard, so take your time and do the prep work this year (if you are desperate for color, add annuals this year), so you can plant in the fall or next spring! It will be great.

Ortho Brush-B-Gone is a good product. Many have talked about how to avoid a rash. Here is good advice from the FDA - http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/796_ivy.html: Because urushiol can penetrate the skin within minutes, there's no time to waste if you know you've been exposed. "The earlier you cleanse the skin, the greater the chance that you can remove the urushiol before it gets attached to the skin," says Hon-Sum Ko, M.D., an allergist and immunologist with FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. Cleansing may not stop the initial outbreak of the rash if more than 10 minutes has elapsed, but it can help prevent further spread. If you've been exposed to poison ivy, oak or sumac, if possible, stay outdoors until you complete the first two steps: * First, Epstein says, cleanse exposed skin with generous amounts of isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. (Don't return to the woods or yard the same day. Alcohol removes your skin's protection along with the urushiol and any new contact will cause the urushiol to penetrate twice as fast.) * Second, wash skin with water. (Water temperature does not matter; if you're outside, it's likely only cold water will be available.) * Third, take a regular shower with soap and warm water. Do not use soap before this point because "soap will tend to pick up some of the urushiol from the surface of the skin and move it around," says Epstein. * Clothes, shoes, tools, and anything else that may have been in contact with the urushiol should be wiped off with alcohol and water. Be sure to wear gloves or otherwise cover your hands while doing this and then discard the hand covering.

Quote: 2. We were thinking about enclosing for pets, does this even make sense? Quote Personnally I don't think the pine needle carpet will hold up to the constant presence of animals in a small space like a pet run. Quote3. It's not a huge space. Think suburban neighborhood backyard size 4. The pine forest itself composes neighbors lots Quote My lot is about 300' deep with the last 100' in pine trees. I have managed it as I said in the previous post. Make your lot look attractive and the others will follow. Odds are they don't know how to manage it either. Quote 5. There is a dead tree near house getting removed. Quote Definitely remove the dead trees. It will be easier to remove that trying to get it out of the other trees if it comes down by itself Quote Should we try to remove a few more? Clear a hole in the canopy. Quote If the though behind this is "and then plant it in grass", The odds are it will not work because of the type of soil. There are areas under my pines that are almost peat, with the old pine needled, leaves, and roots. Quote Would removing a tree cause erosion problems? Quote The removal of the tree itself will not cause erosion. It is what you do to the area after the tree is removed. Like any where else, you must understand the natural flow and grades to control erosion. Some times on slopes it is best to create swales across the slope to slow down and control the water. Quote: Would grass grow if the sky above it was open? Quote Probably not well QuoteI don't love grass we just want to make the space more enjoyable to be in and i guess my brain only thinks about that in terms of walking on grass.Quote Walking in the pines give you a different kind of enjoyment with the woods plants, squirrels, birds, and what ever is happening back there. In our area when the Azaleas and camellias it will be pleasant walking through the flowers. Walking among the pines in the summer is always cooler than walking across the the sun drenched grass. Of course it limits the time you get to play with the lawn tractor or mower.