What are your objectives?

To follow onto what Yardvaark said, budget is probably necessary as well.

I'm really not sure. I've been beating my head against the wall trying to figure out a vision. Would be nice to set it up for outdoor entertaining. The dog situation been trying to figure out a good plan maybe fence off part of the yard? Money is very tight so anything that can be done I can't afford to bring someone in I'll be handling whatever I can. Right now towards the house there is some kind of a pea stone preventing water buildup due to a very bad grading job towards the house.

If you must live with the pea gravel, create an edge to separate it from the non-pea gravel area. You can use inexpensive plastic landscape edging. "Draw" an attractive curve or a straight line, nothing too complex.

Removing what appears to be a tree stump with a light stuck in it would help clean up the general appearance.

I would wait to see how things look when the leaves grow back before making big decisions. Maybe it will look better then than it does now. A few well-placed low- maintenance evergreens would improve the winter interest in any case.

It isn't that bad, it is just dull. I would want two small trees near the back lot line. I think I would like to block the view of the two neighboring houses.

Dogs want to be near their humans. Please do not segregate the dog.

I am not sure of the name of it. I call it airplane cable. Why don't you start by removing the ballusters (sp?) from the deck staircase and replace it with airplane cable. This would open up and lighten up that area and give more of a view. That little house should be moved don't you think?

You already have trees . Add some evergreen flowering bushes ( rhododendrons, azaleas) , conifers ( Golden Mound Mugo Pine) .

Thanks for all the responses. Gives me alot to think about. Vstavay thank you for the photo,its the first real vision and looks great. I haven't confirmed yet but i am pretty sure the property and trees on both sides of the fence are actually on my property line. Seems the fence was put up incorrectly and gave neighbors much more property. Once I confirm I can see what can be done about the fence it's ugly so I may change it up while at it

If there are grading/drainage issues, those should be fixed before you do anything else. I concur with Kiminpl about dividing the pea gravel bed from the rest of the yard with a distinct edge. I would do some experimenting the the pea gravel. I think it could be more walkable if you add sand, dust and small chips of the same color material. (Account for grade in the process.) I think if you make a lawn surrounded by a shrub/perennial border, you can create privacy and beauty while keeping it relatively low maintenance. The edge between lawn and border should be smooth (no wavy bed edges) and distinct so grass does not go bleeding off into the shrub bed. Incorporate tall shrubs/small trees such that they will screen neighboring houses beyond the back lot line, or anything unsightly to the side that we can't see in the picture. (Not intending that you copy the sketch literally. The ideas must be refined relative to details and conditions of your site. Besides ... it's not perfect!)

Is there a way to make the pea gravel look less like a sand box?

I like the idea of creating a clean edge with the pea gravel as many have suggested here. I love the photos. its awesome you guys do this. its very much appreciated.

How would you guys recommend making the edge? bowing in such as the last photo from yardvaark?

Kitasei i agree, i hate the pea gravel it does look like sand. I guess previous owner had alot of water/mud trouble that whole area use to be a driveway to an illegal garage that was taken out along with that part of the driveway. I don't really have the funds right now to change it unless someone can think of a cheap way to change it. i'm going to take a few more photos to make it easier to see some of the areas. I'm waiting for some green seed to start kicking in there was some areas that had stuff on top of the grass preventing growth.

I inherited a pea gravel terrace myself. It was attractive the first year and I saw it as a Japanese garden, as it has dwarf maple trees, hosta etc. but then weeds arrived and I tired of the upkeep. Now I'm letting sedum, vinca, Russian sage and lavender take over most of the ground. I don't know what your options are with dogs. I had considered Preen to feel with the weeds. I think the sandbox effect is because the pea gravel is too deep. Take some out to use elsewhere (pots for bulbs?)and take suggestion above to add some fines. That should create a firmer smoother surface. A table and bistro chairs will change the look in one stroke. Tons available on freecycle and Craigslist free stuff..

Phil, regardless of what you see here, you would need to work it out -- refine it -- in a plan view before you do any construction. (A plan view is like a bird's eye view map of your property showing major features like house, walk, drive, walls, fences, etc.) And that's where you'd determine if the divider between the pea gravel and lawn needs to be straight or curved and exactly where and how it lies. The plan view is measured, to scale, so that you know everything built in real life will fit and work. You can submit a plan view showing proposed features here for feedback or a base plan view (showing existing features but without the proposed features) for suggestions.

The pea gravel area is a little odd, but I think if you had room to put one of those little moveable fire pits and seating or something like that, it would give the feel of a patio, so the gravel would seem like it served a purpose. Delineating the gravel area from the grass and removing the clutter will probably make it all look a ton better.

What about stepping stones and Irish Moss or Thyme in between? ......

If your dog is out in the yard a lot running, digging and defecating, then most of these recommended landscape designs are not going to thrive. If dog friendly landscaping for that area is a concern, you have to put that first. If I wanted really super nice garden area vs a dog run, I'd start by creating a dog run at the back, and investing my limited funds in making a decent privacy fence, even if I had to do it section by section. Then the grass in the other areas may recover and that will be a start. Just a thought.

Designing our house and premises requires great effort since it is done on a long term basis. Gardens are a quintessential part of backyard designing. It gives a refreshing look.Keeping aside a portion for fruits and vegetable gardens too would be a good option. As you suggested fencing a portion for the pet would be a good idea. Make it most sought after by including a fire pit and a grill to satisfy your tastebuds. Include Hardscapes and if your budget allows go for outdoor dining room too. Consult expert landscape designers before taking the big step. These days there are many firms which provide valuable guidance in backyard landscaping designs like Infinity Gardens , Calgary “http://infinitygardens.ca/residential/services#yard-makeovers”

Thanks everyone sorry for the lack of responses I ended up getting sick pretty badly and then I lost the link to the forum.

Vstavay: I like that layout alot.

I pinkmountain :dog friendly is a big consideration. A privacy fence it's almost a must at this point. The neighbors have dogs on both sides and mine goes nuts when they r out. Right now it's just fencing wire on posts. But the local big box stores want alot for fencing

Jaybuckner2016: Thanks for the advise. My other half has been bugging me about a garden lol

I'm going to post a picture from the 2nd floor window. Should give a better idea where things are. Sorry in advance I cracked my lens and it's a little grainy

As I understand it the bushes/trees on either side are my property and the fence line was put up incorrectly

Sorry you got sick! First things first, GET BETTER and rest up and don't feel like you have to get it all done at once!

Think of your yard as having "rooms" with different functions, and prioritize what is most important and spend the time and money working on that part. When that is finished, move on to the next priority down the line. A backyard landscape like you want evolves over time. Decide what will have the most impact on the way you want to use the yard and make that your top priority project. Of course that may involve some negotiating with your significant other . . . Basically I think the general rule of thumb is hardscape installations first, trees next, and then the rest. Mulch or grass can fill in until you have time to plant things.

I might start with a survey so you are sure where the property line lies as adding or removing plants/fencing on others' property can be a nightmare, or perhaps your city/town has someone who will come out and mark the actual bounds. In the meantime, you can get a screen capture of your property from google maps as a base to start planning or a property plan from your municipality. Either will give you an overview so you can start working on a plan, and the plot plan should have actual measurements. The property plan from your city may be available on line or in person, depending, and should have measurements so you can figure out space uses realistically, especially if you copy it onto quarter inch graph paper.

I'd suggest spending this year mostly assessing what is there: establishing where the property line actually is, looking at what already exists in the yard as the season progresses, watching how your dog moves around the yard (if s/he patrols the fence line, you don't want a garden space there or you want a way to restrict his movement) and finding yard arrangements, gardens, and plants you like by looking at yards you pass, getting books from the library, and looking at . Think about what you and your significant other want in the yard - play area for kids, a veggie garden, a shady nook, a place to store the trash cans or the lawnmower, flowers, an area for sports, seating for entertaining, a fire pit, privacy from the neighbors, etc, etc. A basic book on landscaping can add other factors to consider. It is a lot easier to set up a plan that you can put into place as energy and funds allows than to have to redo a lot later, even if it means living with it pretty much as is for a year, and you may find that there are factors that influence how you end up using the yard. For instance, you may find that the insects are so bad in the evening that without a screened space you can't be outside. There may be some perennials that you aren't aware of or some of the twigs along the fence may turn out to be ornamental shrubs or vines that you like, and this will reduce your cost if they can be reused in your design. Perhaps some large pots of flowers will help you get through this year.

It sounds like there are a couple of basics that you want to do right away such as the seeding of bare spots in the lawn and putting in a barrier to keep the gravel from straying into the grass. I'd not worry about the shape for now - just rake it into a straight line, install edging deep enough so it won't block drainage, and call it good for this year. Neatness and a green lawn will go a long way towards making things look better. If walking across the gravel to get to the lawn is a major hassle, then get a set of 24" square patio blocks to set slightly into the gravel to make a walkway. If your other half wants a veggie garden, that is fairly easy to set up in a temporary fashion since the plants will die back annually, but otherwise, resist until you have a plan in place, including dealing with any drainage issues in the gravel area.

I had a yard somewhat similar to yours when I lived in an urban area and I tore off a large deck on the back to put in a patio and give myself some privacy. With the deck gone and paver patio installed, my yard turned into a torn up weedy mess. I was so overwhelmed I didn't know what to do, I couldn't imagine how I would get it sorted. So I used a technique of just setting aside 15 min. a day to work on something very focused in the back yard. In a months time it was ready to go for planting and in another month it was all planted and mulched. Prior to that, I had spent a year shopping around and doing what NHBabs said, collecting information and ideas.