In your picture, you have an area in the lower left that's open. If that's not your property, you need no stepping stones, and just connect that across with a curved be. If it is, then connect it but put in steps for access. Juniper and arbs won't do in shade at all. Even in part shade, they're ratty. Again, for full, deep shade, there are also yews, boxwood, and some azaelas/rhodos for the deepest shade and there are tons more options for lighter full shade. Clethra anifolia is one of my faves that grows where you are. I have holly growing in deep shade, but you have to accept that it'll have a looser habit. Kalmia latifolia and some camellias work, too. This site is pretty decent, though you'll have to filter the results by zone and whether they are deciduous: http://navigator.gardenpilot.com/ShrubsFullShade.html For sunnier areas, there's nothing in the world wrong with arbs. They have a great shape and habit, and make a lovely backdrop to a busy perennial bed. There are other options for a small space, though. Picea pungens 'Iseli Fastigiate', Cham. pisifera ("Golden Mops" and others), Cham. obtusa Hinoki, (these three are okay for part shade--most conifers are NOT) Bird's nest spruce, dwarf Alberta spruce, and hundreds of other dwarf conifers are great options. There are also non-conifer options like Sky Pencil holly and other Ilex crenata cultivars, many other hollies, and hordes of others. Some of the new camellia hybrids are safe, especially against a building, and a fer pyracantha, too. All these broadleaved evergreens are suited to part shade, too. (In fact, in warmer areas, camellias prefer shade.) Ornamental small trees have their place, too, like the hardiest of the Japanese magnolias, dogwood, and redbud.

Being "almost handicapped" in many cases is more of a problem than being fully handicapped. When you are almost or like many people "invisably handicapped", shopping, traveling, staying away from home, many issues confront you that would not matter as much to someone who is in a wheelchair. Heavy doors can be a major obsticle for the invisibly handicapped. Most anyone would open a door for someone in a wheelchair Handicapped parking spaces are not always closest to the door, but placed where it is most convenient to put a cut out in the curb. That involves a longer walk and usually includes an uphill slope to get to the door. On interstate highways for some dumb reason, the rest areas are either down hill or up hill from the parking area. Many with sidewalks that are more tham 100 feet to the buildings. Handicapped stalls in restrooms are always placed the fartherst from the door. Many waiting rooms (doctor, lab, etc.) have no chairs with arms. Bad knees, hips, etc. would greatly appreciate the help of armed chairs. For this handicapped, but not in a wheelchair person the absolute biggest joke is the handicapped rooms in a motel. Of what use is a sink with no place whatsoever to sit any toiletries. The only place in the whole room where one might sit something is the top of the toilet tank...on the opposit wall and it is sloped so nothing will stay there. I could go on and on with my frustrations. I am sure that many of you have others. I am thankful for what I CAN do, but sometimes I wonder where the powers that be in such matters have their brains.

I am the person quoted about the"wheelchair trumps a walker" comment. I will tell you the whole story and maybe you might understand the reason for the comment. First of all, Cynic's comment, "Sure, some would suggest that perhaps instead of using a walker they should sit down and ride in a wheelchair. Much easier in many ways. " Oh how nice it would be if it were that simple for me to just get up and try a walker just to get a feel for the difficulty of it! Five years ago I survived a brain aneurysm. After 5 months in the hospital, one of them in ICU, I was released to a world that I no longer fit in. I went from being a 60 yr. old widow who was maintaining the yard work of 3 acres as well as keeping up everything else needed to run the house, to someone totally dependent on paid caregivers to dress me, feed me, and get me in and out of bed, and eventually learn to feed myself, write, etc. with my left hand since my right side is 90% useless. I was deemed clear-minded enough by my insurance company to be able to drive a power chair. I had to buy a specially converted minivan with a ramp that requires having to park in a van accessible space in order for the ramp to go down. Now for the above referenced comment. My caregiver was waiting for traffic to clear so that she could back into the only available space with the ramp area. There was a truck behind us that expressed their indignation that we took the space that they wanted. They parked across the aisle from us and I saw a relatively young woman, who had a bandaged knee, get out and the driver gave her the walker. I then asked my caregiver to hurry and lower the ramp so I could get out and let them see that we were there out of need for the space with wheelchair access. They did look and their angry faces turned to laughter at what one of them thought was funny. I summed up the situation as "wheelchair trumps walker". I understand your posts in defense of those having a hard time with a walker. I should wish to have that option, as well as having my old life back, but you deal with what life gives you and that includes me having to fight for a parking space where my ramp can be used.

The kind of motorized chairs that are now used in private homes need no more than a 32" door but to accommodate a wider conventional wheelchair offset (hospital type) hinges will add about 1.5" to the clear opening or you can use a 36' door but you will need a bit more room on the swing side. I didn't know how the plumbing will run in the house so I left the shower wall as a chase. It might be better to make the wall of the bathroom a 2x6 stud wall and put the plumbing stack in it behind the toilet. I also don't know if the climate is warm enough for pipes in an outside wall. I would avoid having a second door to the bathroom because one door is usually unintentionally left locked most of the time. I would also delete the window at the shower because the sill would be too high for a seated person to see over and it becomes a maintenance issue if it is too low in a shower.