I really like that suggestion Bboy, and that book sounds like it would be a lot of help in many ways. :) I've been playing with window's paint this morning, we really have a lot to do. This yard was completely leveled last year (all of the dirt pushed to the back of the yard as you see, and all previous landscaping removed. But I do love this stuff, and I wouldn't be happy at all if I had a yard that didn't need work! I already have some clear ideas on the front and sides (the side porch area is my husbands plan, I have no say there) but if anyone see's any glaring mistakes or can offer ideas better than my drawings, I would appreciate the input! I guess I'm putting these up to show the full scope of the yard and how each section relates to another, and specifically, to the back. There are several levels to work with. Lots of concrete, sidewalks, steps, retaining walls in the front (made of stone) many sharp angles. Don't ask me why there is a sidewalk leading from our side porch to the neighbors driveway, but it can't be removed. Not only do we share property with them, but we maintain their yard and it helps to get the mowers across. The yard as it is now: As I would like it to be eventually: The second drawing... The brown areas are intended to be planting areas. Still not sure precisely which plants or where, other than I want cascading things in the front of the front beds, to come down and break up the facade of the wall which is six feet high. I'm thinking of rambling or ground cover roses, but not sure my neighbors would appreciate the thorns (or keep would their hands off the blooms). I do intend on climbing roses on the side bed though, to climb the porch railings. The side yard (where the kiddie pool is) is utilitarian - where we put our brush for composting, the hose spigot, veggetable garden, etc. No grass will grow in the middle of this area because there are pipes from the sump pumps in the basement running just under the surface. I intend to mulch it as it's suited for nothing but growing dirt. Thank you very much for looking, and for all of the advice so far! It is a great help and I think things are coming together very nicely in my mind and on paper.

There is no technical reason not to use modular block (also called segmental retaining wall or SRW - what you are calling a "paver"). If you go with a mortared block wall, you should have a footing below grade down to the frost line which adds considerable work and expense. If you don't, it will crack from freeze/thaw movement. One benefit of SRW's is that they are designed to move with the freeze/thaw cycle. That eliminates the need to put a footing several feet down in the ground saving on excavation, material (you don't need blocks between the footing and grade), and not having to destabilize a slope with a deep hole at its base while constructing it. Another benefit is that they do not require a high degree of skill and training to construct, so you have a lot more and cheaper people available to build these. They are an easier DIY project, but not that easy. Still another benefit is that they are rather easy to drain. Water buildup in the soil behind retaining walls is often the cause of wall failure. SRW are not universally loved. In some places they are seen as high class and in other places they are accepted as cheap looking suburbia or industrial park looking. It depends what part of the country you live in and the taste of the area. Stone walls (well crafted) are seen as timeless and universally accepted as high end. They cost 50-100% more than SRWs due to the skill, training, labor time, and availability of qualified people to do the work. We do not see very many stucco concrete block walls in my area. I don't know that I have seen a new one at all. The SRWs and stone walls have replaced them. Their failure rate has something to do with it since many are not built on proper footings.

Hollow concrete clock can be used for a retaining wall in some circumstances. One of the most important concerns would be, how high is the wall going to be? As there is nothing to hold the blocks together in order to work as one unit, as you would find in a poured-in-place concrete wall, or even the modular concrete block walls that are popular today, you should plan to fill all the voids in the blocks with concrete. You also should install some steel reinforcing rods, both vertically and horizontally, before filling with concrete. If you've never done this before, and it sounds like you haven't, you shoul get some local expert advice on how to do it. As for drainage behind the wall, once again, what you install will depend on how high the wall is. The base material you place (and compact) under the wall should be free-draining, like crushed stone. But that alone will not take care of drainage behind the wall. Remember that a retaining wall is essentially a dam for ground water. Weeps through the wall, (1/12 to 2" pipe), installed every 10 feet or so will assist in getting water out from behind, and will have to be cored through the wall and screened at the backside to prevent them from becoming filled with sediment. Most often, a perforated PVC pipe is installed at the backside of the wall, equal to or slightly higher than the visible grade on the front side. This pipe runs from end to end of the wall and daylights (sticks out of the slope) or connects to a drainage system to remove the water. The pipe is bedded in and surrounded by a free-draining material, like crushed stone, and the whole thing (stone and pipe) may be wrapped in a filter fabric to keep sediment from clogging the pipe. A retaining wall project can be satisfying, but it can also be a nightmare. Best to seek local advice and 'how-to' from someone who might be able to give you some pointers personally. Good luck.

An effective smother blocks the light and physically prevents new growth from being able to form by the weight of it. If anything unwanted is able to creep to the edge and continue growing, the smother will fail. If unwanted growth underneath is connected to live material outside of the smother, it will fail. New growth from mature, woody material may be strong enough to come through corrugated cardboard, and the roots may take a long time to die from being smothered. The cardboard or paper itself weighs very little and isn't enough to block all of the light. Adding something over it to add weight and fully block the light is necessary for it to be effective, as well as remaining undisturbed (no holes poked in it) until one is sure everything under it is dead. Using some kind of organic matter for added weight and light-blocking, like mulch, leaves, compost, kitchen scraps, manure, whatever one has available, will help accomplish the smothering as well as add tilth and fertility to the soil, while also helping to improve drainage/moderate moisture level over time. An organic material like paper or cardboard will decompose and it's not necessary to remove it later, just dig in and start planting when you are sure nothing under is still alive. The least possible number of seeds that are already in the soil are able to sprout this way. Sheet metal, tough plastic, or something similar can also be used to smother, though it would need to be removed before using the spot, and adds nothing of value to the soil. The number of seeds that are already in the soil that would sprout after removing a non-organic smother is much higher. Your pics show a situation that's not ready for smothering because the woody debris would poke holes in newspaper (not strong/thick enough for your situation) or cardboard. A relatively smooth area, free of wood/rock debris hard enough to poke holes in cardboard/newspaper is the best candidate for successful smothering.