Wow! Thank you so much for the suggestions everyone. I've been scrapbooking design elements and plants for over 3 years. My problem is that I appreciate too many things: English country, Japanese and French formal gardens, bearded irises, the Acer Palmatum Dissectum Viridis, purple flowers, most of the Heronswood catalog, etc... I'm having a hard time planning touches that complement the house and make sense. I'm obsessed with fixing this yard, but in two years all I've done is take down trees and buy bearded irises (my absolute favorite flower; which should be arriving soon). I don't want to turn my yard into something it's not - it's a wooded lot. I just want to add some personality and color here and there because there is zero color at ground level. Busyd95 is right. I can't afford to spend like crazy (only about 2-3K per year). I can't afford to make mistakes; certainly not if I want a yard to enjoy in my lifetime! So all your input has been helpful and insightful. It's been difficult finding professional help locally. I live in a military town. Several companies have refused to work here. My gardener (from a previous residence) actually quit after one session here. The last time we took down trees, they couldn't even get a stump grinder up to the kitchen yard. The stumps are still there. So at less than 1 acre this yard pretty much intimidates everyone. It's been a very frustrating experience. My house is the white elephant of the area (probably the town too) and Nandina is right about the leaves and pine straw - they seem to be on the ground most of the year. When we bought this house, the yard looked like it hadn't been touched in 10 years. The house looked haunted - one of the reasons we painted it a bright color. There are actually a few "scraggly" Azaleas, Rhododendrons and one Hosta here. They just have to go. No doubts about that. I haven't planted delicate flowers like phlox because I worry they'll get choked out. I've considered container gardening, but its tricky finding matched, large and non-plastic pots anywhere. I've checked "every" local nursery and home-store in the area... I am also checking online... But getting back to the original topic (sorry everyone) of the kitchen yard, I like the idea of a table, the Schizophragma Hydrangeoides vine, the Fragrant Tea Olive (which is actually already on my wishlist), and the Jack in the Pulpits; but only if they trap mosquitoes. This is generally a damp area. Nandina there's a downspout (coming from the roof) between the steps and the first air unit that's causing the drainage problem you saw. There's a river across the road and several creeks running through this neighborhood, which probably account for all the mosquitoes. We even have an underground stream at the base of the property. (I won't even go into what it's been like to find help for that.) Giboosi I like your suggestions of Solomon's Seal (what an interesting ladder-like shape) and the Tricyrtis (like small orchids). And Diggerb2 I like the idea of woodruff instead of mulch. Mulch is just out of the question as a large groundcover because of the Fall leaves. But still, some groundcovers are hard to find cheaper because they're only sold as plants; not seeds. I was considering Lobelia 'Emperor William' as a possible groundcover. It blooms 3 of 4 seasons and only grows 5 inches tall. Constructing a lean-to like cover was my first thought too for the air units, but it's tricky. That protruding air vent just throws off any design I can come up with. I also dislike lattice. It wouldn't match the siding (1-foot wide vertical cedar boards) on our 15-foot tall deck that surrounds two sides of the house. We've considered just painting the air units - is that something that can actually be done? It seems everyone is recommending stepping stones, but the stone walkway and steps (already there) match all the other stonework on the house (interior fireplace, chimney, retaining walls, etc.). It cannot be changed. And the area doesn't seem wide enough for stepping stones. The kitchen yard is actually 12-feet (fence to air unit edge) by 54-feet (gate to edge of stairs that lead down to the driveway/parking area). If any of you can stand more details, the kitchen yard extends out (12 feet by about 28-feet) to border one side of our driveway and then end in the part of our yard with the gazebo in it. This L-shape has made it difficult to plan garden beds. I can't seem to come up with anything except strict rows of plants; which I don't want to do. I'd like a few twists and turns - perhaps the hint of a secret garden, but I just don't want to fence in the kitchen yard again... Taken this morning. An aerial of the area causing trouble with planning. The view coming in from the North yard. The lovely air units. And for kicks . . . the tapped spring just flowing into the street.

I was going to put my blood type on the helmet too, but an EMT told me he would never pay attention to what someone claims their blood type to be, he uses universal plasma and at the hospital they use a quick blood typing test. The risks of infusing an incompatible blood type are too high. Medical insurance information sounds like a good idea. Although [rant] have you checked what your "insurance" actually covers, lately? Our family of four pays about $16K/year in employee contribution. And our total family deductible is around $12K/year. We have not consumed over $12K/yr of medical care in at least ten years, probably not since the last child was delivered. Basically we pay $16K/year - and my company pays at least as much - for catastrophic coverage. On a day-to-day basis, every doctor visit and every prescription is coming out of my pocket. I'd rather we had the system they have in France. Everyone, rich or poor, has basic, no-frills medical coverage. Those who want nicer, fancier, more sophisticated treatment - private rooms, cutting-edge technology, $100K/yr drugs - have the option of buying commercial insurance policies, if they can afford it and want to. But everyone, rich and poor, has a basic and decent level of care. We may get a version of that in the US, starting in 2014. Maybe. "There's many a slip, 'twixt the cup and the lip." Who knows if it will actually happen. [/rant] After reading this http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/21/technology/bicyclists-using-cameras-to-capture-accidents.html I got interested in wearing a video camera, so you see on the helmet my initial experiment. It is not the $300 GoPro that a serious biker-recorder wears, but a $38 micro-cam from a Hong Kong mail order hobby shop. Meant for use in radio control aircraft, helos, etc. After experimenting with this cheap camera, I'm putting a nicer videocam on my Santa list. Aside from the "evidence" aspect, it is instructive to view a recorded ride and think about what dangers I did and didn't perceive at the time. I've been riding in traffic since I was a 7 y/o boy riding in downtown Vancouver B.C. on my Peugeot ten-speed, but I still make mistakes every day. Just like we all make mistakes driving, even though we've been doing it all our lives. I'll post a link to some video later. Here is a link that might be useful: NYT Story

I know what you mean about being a slug, altho I walked the dogs and went to the AC gym today. But my daughter ran 12 miles today in training for the NYC marathon and my son rode 100 miles on his bike thru the woods here in PA in a race. He said there was lightning half way thru the race. It was in the mid 90's but is only 70 now, thank heavens.

Breaking a femur is quite serious and needs a fairly long time to heal...I broke mine when I was 12, ended up with screws holding it together and a full body cast for 4 months...Now that was a few years ago and things have come a very long way but, it is a terrible bone to break.... One good thing that happened with mine, I met the nicest young boy in the next room at the hospital and years later that same nice fellow became my husband....Married over 60 years, I guess it was a "good break"......