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.

Most day length sensitive beans flower during short days, around the equinox. I've grown a few such beans here that were given to me in swaps, and I have no hope of getting dry seed without a greenhouse. In much of California, where the growing season extends well after the equinox, there would still be plenty of time to get a good crop. However, I doubt that day length sensitivity is the root of your problem. Nearly all of the yardlong beans sold commercially appear to be day neutral... because if they will flower in mid-summer during my long days (at latitude 44 degrees N) and for a fellow collector in Batesville AR (latitude 35 degrees N) they should flower normally just about anywhere. Even commercial varieties developed in the Philippines have done surprisingly well here. And if you want beans in mid-summer, you would want a day-neutral cultivar. From the years I lived in California, I suspect that the problem is not day length, but heat. The Central Valley gets pretty hot in mid-summer, which would cause blossom drop for many beans - including yardlongs. Some gardeners in Texas have a mid-summer heat problem too, and can harvest most beans early or late in the season - but not during 100 degree days. In between, you just have to keep the plants alive. Are you sure that there were no flowers, or did the flowers or buds form, but just drop without setting pods? It might be that you will only be able to get beans during the months of more moderate temperatures. To get long beans in April, you might want to start them early as transplants, and use a variety with a short DTM. I have a bush variety that is very early, but only has pods 10-12" long. For pole varieties, the black-seeded types (such as "Asparagus" and "Taiwan Black") tend to be the first to bear. I would also suggest that you mulch your yardlongs heavily, and irrigate them more often than your other beans. Unlike common beans (which don't like wet feet) yardlong beans are water hogs; they do their best for me if the soil is never allowed to dry out. Edamame soybeans like those conditions too, so if you are growing any, you might want to place them both in that "extra water" zone. If you still want to try a day length sensitive long bean, I have one. When I lived in San Diego, I grew an heirloom yardlong bean from the Philippines ("Philippine Purple") that was day length sensitive. It has purple pods longer than "Chinese Red Noodle", that are very slow to develop - which is a good characteristic for beans which are eaten as pods. My own seed is getting pretty old, so it might need a little TLC... but I would be happy to send you a little. Fusion_power (who also posts on this forum) has been growing "Philippine Purple" recently, so if you inquire from him, he might be able to send you more viable seed than mine.

Hey Phil, I don't have much wisdom to add to what the others have said, as I'm rather inexperienced at this too - only my second year growing heirlooms. But, I know where you are coming from because, I too, tend to go big when I get into something like this. Not sure I went quite as over the top with preparing, researching, planning, thinking and pruning, but I was close. One thing I will share is, I've found sometimes doing less is more. For example, I pruned aggressively last year, really buying into the idea that any branch not flowering was wasting the plant's energy and needed to go. My plants suffered from this treatment and produced only a few fruits. This year, I hardly pruned at all and they are doing much better in terms of both fruit production, size and how robust they are. Not to open up the debate about pruning here - my point is that you seem to have some really healthy looking plants (nice chard too!). I'd suggest not sweating the nitrogen level. Don't make a big "to do" and dig up the soil to sample and potentially treat. Let nature take it's course and be happy with how well you have done - I agree with the others that you put a lot of thought and work into your garden and I believe it will pay off. Gardening is trying to teach me patience. For me, it's tempting to try and do something all the time to hasten/enhance the harvest but I think (within reason) sometimes letting alone is the best thing one can do. Good luck! P.S. I too flick flowering stems. Not sure it helps with pollination/fruit setting, but it's magical when you see the little golden dust emerge.

I'm back, we have power! Yay, it came on and went off again within 2 minutes earlier, but now it seems to be on to stay on. I hope so, anyway, I'm looking forward to a long, hot shower and a good night's sleep. And reading by electical light, won't that be a treat! I tried to get in to the clinic today but they weren't open. I'll try that warm oil treatment and the warm towel, too if it gets bad again. My ear hasn't hurt since I got up this morning, but it does feel kind of odd when I touch around it. Thanks for all the sympathy and tips. I have a lot to catch up on, lots to read!