Update photos please?:) I just stumbled on this thread. Seems like it's been a few years, I'm so curious how it all turned out. I've got dilemmas in my garden too, although for different reasons. But my location is also shady. In your case, there r so many scenarios possible, I've already imagined your slope in quite a few different ones. Up to the point where you started marinating on the flagstones. I wonder what you chose to do :)

A large-growing rhododendron might also help to fill that "middle" space, and it would appreciate the cherry tree shade. Forsythia would be nice, too, for a less formal effect, and it would tend to grow faster. Some of the lower-growing viburnums are very tough plants, and would soon stop the idea of using the middle as a footpath--unless you want to create a little naturalistic path through it, bordered by some woodland plants. ;o) In that case, I would suggest lots of Lily-of-the Valley, interspersed with things like bluebells (I'm sure the Woodland forum would have many suggestions for that). You could also consider some of the tall-growing grasses for the sunnier, more walked-on spots, which could soften the symmetrical look produced by the two cherry trees. If you include some native shrubs and plants, you might be able to create an island paradise for birds, maybe even with a birdbath!

I should point out that I'm not winter sowing for that back woodland area this year. I'm actually wintersowing edibles and flowers for my front garden - mostly edibles for the terraces and a herbaceous border for the side slopes. Growing plants from seed for my 1/4 acre front garden seemed ambitious enough for the first year... I have coughed up cash for foundation shrubs and trees, particularly ones necessary for privacy and to stabilize steep slopes and pull water out of wet areas. I picked up 10 Western Red Cedars and 10 Oregon Grape for now from the local native plant sale. That's about all the cedars we can fit in until we clear more uphill (and all the Tubex tree tubes I can afford). We'll put more in next year and keep working our way uphill. The Oregon Grape we're putting along the property line up the hill. Hopefully it will eventually block out the view of the neighbors driveway and parking pad so they're not looking in the back of the house. I'm still tempted to head out to the King County sale to pick up sword fern, which works really well here. The local sale only has shrubs and trees. As for island living, I'm personally in love with "the moat" as the locals call it. Keeps out the riffraff. ;) Living here would be much less convenient if we commuted, but we both work from home, so it suits us perfectly. We end up over on the mainland every week or two for some appointment or another, which keeps us from getting cabin fever.

I just registered my yard. The site is either very busy, or it moves very slowly. Hopefully things are just slower because lots of people are getting registered at the same time. I would love to find a way to broaden the concept of Wintersowing as a method of germinating lots of pollinator-friendly plants for the simple person. It is an easy, inexpensive method of starting seeds, and it works especially well for the sorts of plants that we need regular folks to be growing in their yards and at their work and along the roads in their neighborhoods. In addition, we need to find a way to share seeds of these pollinator-friendly plants. We can't depend on commercial horticulturists and nurseries to provide the quantities of plants that we need to get growing. So, we need to get seeds in the hands of everyday people, and show them how to get them to grow successfully. So, any of you who have successful gardens already growing, take some time this season to collect seeds from your plants, and be ready to share as many as possible with people who are ready to start new gardens to help the pollinators. If everyone does a little bit, we can accomplish an amazing amount, together. Martha