IME planting garden plants in unimproved woodland soil may be a frustrating exercise. Your yard has a long edge, so planning the whole thing out now, but then executing it over several years in stages will end up giving you the most finished and cohesive look. I would think about design goals as Kevin suggested. Do you want to create a gentle transition between the woods and the yard? Do you want a bazzilion flowers? Do you want fall color or winter interest? Are you looking to reduce the "new" look of your yard? Or . . . ? If you put a single row or even a double row of perennials along the base of those tall trees, they will just disappear because of the height difference and it won't look too different. There are books on woodland design that you can peruse in a bookstore and may be able to borrow from the library, but in general, the edge of a woodland naturally goes from the tall tree layer to small trees and shrubs to perennials and lower growing plants. When I started in a similar situation, I started with planning and setting up a beds during my first year or two. I tested my soil, watched where the sun and shade are at different times of the year, checked out sources for organic matter to make the soil better for growing plants, and found inexpensive sources for plants. In my succeeding years I planted native plants (mostly rooted cuttings and seedlings) suited to the area in unimproved soil area and more finished beds were planted with garden plants. I ended up planting my woodland edge with large clumps of plants rather than straight beds. That gave me "windows" into the woods, but still allows the woods to step down more gradually than simply tall trees to grass. I planted largely for spring flowers and fall color. Possible sources for inexpensive or free plants: - Consider buying a shrub or two each year that can be used to start more from cuttings (this won't work with all plants, but there are some like willows or dogwood shrubs that root easily from cuttings) - Buy small starts of plants from your local conservation service, usually a state or county agency. For instance, in spring I can get from the NH state nursery seed-grown first-year or second-year woody plants for two or three dollars apiece. When planted in a prepared bed, they grow well. - You might be able to collect cuttings or small seedlings from shrubs in the surrounding woods that are local natives and so will grow well, and start your own. I don't want you give you specific plant names since our growing conditions are too different, but take the time to learn what grows well where you are without being invasive, and then plan where you want shrubs, small trees and perennials. - Are there plant exchanges in your area that might be a good sources for plants? (Around here new gardeners need not bring plants and may just take plants.) Possible sources of free or inexpensive materials to improve and add organic matter to your soil: - city compost - tree trimming services for woodchips - horse farm for manure Is there a nature center or university or arboretum that has displays of ornamental native plants in a woodland edge setting, or are there talks or courses you could attend? Are there garden clubs in your area where you can hear other local gardeners' experience? That will help you figure out what critters other than deer might be problems for your plants, and what plants will grow happily in the soil and sun/shade conditions you have. I realize that it may appear that I am raining on your parade, but having gardened on two properties that included open areas carved out of woodlands, I am hoping to prevent you from making some of my mistakes.(Also, since you mentioned ticks, get in the habit of checking yourself, and if you have them, your pets and kids, every time you come into the house from the yard and every evening before bed.)

Is your neighbor OK with a tree growing basically ON the property line? And I grant that what THIS neighbor is OK with, the next one may object to, but if this one gets bent out of shape, then it may not be one of your best ideas to plant a tree there. Does the county have set-backs around fire hydrants? It's hard to judge the distance from the photo, and I may be over-worrying. In general, 6 hours of sun, and you are getting more than that there, is considered to be equivalent to full sun, so I think a crabapple would be fine. Otherwise, a redbud, a dogwood, or any "understory tree" of an appropriate size should do fine.

Jon - No crispy edges on either T-Rex or Blue Mammoth. At least not that I remember, AS the years have gone by and much to my amazement the near by trees keep sending out more and more leaves. A this time there are moments in the afternoon where there is nearly no sun. Frankielynniise - I had to confront the Management Company here finally because the first and very promising spike on Empress Wu suddenly VANISHED and what was left was a slight indentation as to where it had been. What I equated to someone slicing the spike BELOW the surface with a pocket knife. Ihad told them previous that I felt that the plant was suffering (at that time) presumably from a critter under the garden. The crttter became unconfirmed as the burrow that I thought I had seen last fall during the planting of Fire and Ice had 100% disappeared. Nature made a horrid fool out of me in front of BOTH the management company AND the exterminator. Previous to this post I was so agitated that I was nearly in a state of depression. Beverlymnz4 - I’ve taken note of your comments. Hard to respond at this point Babka NorCal 9b - I had not been aware that Crown Rot could still leave a vestiges of a survivable plant. I had been told previously that crown rot would take any living part of the plant after it took hold of the plant. Thank you for correcting my knowledge about Crown Rot. I do understand that different hosta come up at different times of the spring; I generally give my plants until June to spike; and that the ‘bumps are dormant buds. AT that time I replanted the buds to give them a chance to grow (they never did). As for plants sinking … .The ground seems to be pretty solid; so I would doubt that they would sink, although I suppose it is possible (thinks hard). I’ve planted hosta for years and now often check the crown line of the plant before putting it into the soil to insure that the line is slightly below the surface of the surrounding soil + not more than an inch. This season has been an horrid season form my smaller hosta [Church Mouse, Holy Mouse Ears, Frosted Mouse Ears, and Little Sunspot in particular] have all surfaced to raise the crown line to not more than 1/2 inch ABOVE the soil. At first I was concerned, but since then they have all spiked, leafed, and currently looking O.K. Never seen this in hosta before. Peter Kelley - St Paul, MN USA

You don't have to prime the part that has been painted. going from Navajo to regular white doesn't need a primer. If it was Red or black and then going to white, then yes, you would need a primer. Anything that is new, has been sanded, new drywall, patched, etc, needs a regular, stand alone primer before painting. (not primer/paint in one. that one is ok for previously painted walls, not new drywall) what you don't want to see if obvious delineation between the two different areas. I'd at least take the primer all the way to ceiling above the new part, and feather it in over into the rest of the wall so you don't have a straight line of primer. that's why sophie said just prime the entire wall.