I think your previous owners were suffering badly from perimeteritis. Removing a lot of those beds, even in your mind to start with, might be a winning move. Start with this: where and when do you need shade in summer? Where would a larger tree have to be to provide it? Is that a view beyond your backwoods there? Is it possible or desirable to see more of it? Can you make a place to sit at the back of the property that there would be some reason to go to? You want to design places for people, so imagine yourself at different spots - what would you do there, and how would you get there? Then, where would pleasant plants have to be to provide enjoyment while you are there? Using the topography to make tiers or something along those lines across the yard could make so much more of this yard than simply using the perimeter. I don't think the wall is ugly so much as it is an improbable colour, and it does look unfinished. A bench top or something like that: good idea. Stone facing would take up some patio space, how about slate tile? Karin L

Glad you were able to get a sunny day finially. It was sunny but very windy here today. Still I spent the day outside mulching and of course gakking at my flowers. Looks like you (and Whiskey and Bowie) have lots and lots of flowers in your yard in gawk at and they are all so pretty. I see lots of blue with the grape hyacinths and I think I see the regular blue hyacinths there too. Love your garden shots and love your pink daffs.

I don't contribute often any more, but I thought I had to this week. This can help explain why I stay with you guys in the FAR north. By the way, our local arborists explain that we are lucky there was a hard april freeze that delayed our trees from leafing out. Otherwise, there would have been major damage all over town, not just the east half. Also, only half the varieties of trees are fully leafed out, so a lot less limbs fell under SEVEN inches of snow June 10! I was on my way to work that day (the first day of special education summer school, no less!) so I didn't get many pics of trees and limbs and LIGHT POLES and POWER LINES in the roads. My 10 foot plus maple and the neighbors 8 foot lilac bush- both standing again, thankfully. My east side iris bed- the actually blooming iris stalks are under the snow. The day before- June 9, with a forecast of half inch of rain, tops, and temps above freezing Yes, it kept snowing until after 2 in the afternoon, and power was not restored to alot of places (including my school) until noo- that was fun 9 elementary special ed students in a class with no power!

I have lots but my yard is so trashy I don't want you to see the rest of the junk that would show up in the picture. The ones on my driveway are getting flooded because that whole area is a river when it rains. I may take a picture anyway. I moved some of my stakes the other day to make a bed look less cluttered; then Beau plopped himself in the nice cleared spot squashing violas.