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.

How about growing some bamboo? Make sure you contained them.(either with fiberglass bariers or grow them in a heavyduty plastic trash barrel and burry in the ground) Bamboo can take the shade well.

Hi Stacy, A day late, but here are some quick and tasty recipes. I hope you like them. 30 Minute Lentil Soup 1-2 T olive oil 1 onion, chopped 3 carrots, chopped 1 potato or sweet potato, chopped 1 T tomato paste 1 T Patak's curry paste (I use mild) 2 1/2 c. each veggie stock and water 1 1/2 c. red lentils, rinsed and drained 2 c. freshly chopped spinach or swiss chard Saute veggies for about 5 minutes in pan. Add tomato paste and curry paste and let simmer for a few minutes. Then add veggie stock, water and lentils, bring to a boil, then simmer about 25-30 minutes or until done. Add spinach at end. If using swiss chard add about 5 minutes before the end. Salt and pepper to taste. (I know, it's a bit more than 30 minutes, but not too much more! Also I leave the spinach out so my kids will eat this soup). Lentil & Potato soup with spiced oil (Madhur Jaffrey) 6 c. water 1 1/2 c. lentils 1 red pepper, chopped 2 med potatoes, cubed 2 carrots, 1/3" rounds 1 large onion, chopped 2 celery stalks, chopped 1/4 c. soy sauce 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper 1 bay leaf Spiced Oil 2 T. olive oil 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp tumeric 1 tsp ground cumin Combine all ingredients except Spice Oil stuff in pan. Cover and bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, warm the oil in a small pan over low heat for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and add spices. Stir and set aside. When soup is cooked, add the spiced oil. Season with salt and pepper, remove bay leaf and serve! Here's one that is ready in the time it takes to boil water for pasta. Adele's chickpea tomato garlic soup 1/3 c. olive oil 8 cloves minced garlic 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 1 19 oz can tomato sauce 1/2 c. chopped parsley 8 cups water 1 T salt 1 1/2 c. medium seashell pasta Put water in soup pot and cover and bring to a boil. At the near boiling point add the salt. Meanwhile, in another pan, gently heat oil and add garlic until fragant. Then add 1 can chickpeas and the tomato sauce. Simmer. Add chopped parsley. When water has boiled, add seashell pasta and cook until tender, about 9 minutes. Do not drain. At this time add the tomato mixture to the pasta pan. Stir to combine. Serve in bowls with grated parmesan cheese. This is quickly whipped up and sometimes a great Friday night supper with either cheese and baguettes or veggies and dip. Quick pasta sauce (Adapted from Bonnie Stern, Heart Smart Cooking) Put a pan of pasta water on and prepare the sauce. In a small pan put some olive oil (a few tablespoons). Cut an onion in half and smash up about 3 cloves of garlic. Let oil heat in pan and onion simmer a bit. Puree a can of tomatoes, add a bit of basil, oregano, and marjoram, and let simmer while you wait for the pasta to cook. If you have some parlsey in the house, it's a nice addition near the end. When done, add sauce to pasta. Nice served with a salad. I have faith in you! You'll be out of this slump in no time and back posting beautiful photos on the what's for dinner thread! Chin up sista! Catherine

You can work off the photo, but -- as always -- it needs to be converted into a PLAN first ... a plan being, more or less, a map of your yard. It allows you to place the plants in the right place. Just draw the components of the yard -- house, walk, drive, trees, lamp post, etc on a piece of graph or plain paper, measuring everything out in order to keep it in relative scale. 1"=10' is a good scale to work with. You could also use 1/8"=1' or 1/4"=1', though the latter might require a fairly large piece of paper. After you get the base information down, you can start drawing where plants would go. Do this on copies of the original or use tracing paper in order to avoid lots of erasing. One tip: don't draw individual plants unless they are standalone specimens ... like a tree or shrub that stands alone. First draw the bed, then draw the shapes that the plant collections occupy within the bed. If you have a survey, you can begin with that as the basis of the drawing as it will show the location of the major constructed elements. As I mentioned previously, you can clutter up the simple scheme I gave you as much as you like, but keep in mind that when you do, the end result will look cluttered, and require more maintenance to keep up with. The scheme I offered accomplishes your basic goals, but allows you a great deal of control of its ultimate "flavor" through the selection of plant materials. You have options for tweaking bed shape and other details, and adding some "punctuation" (those special plants that excite you and you can find a good spot for.)