It would make a big difference if the shed is one of those ugly things that must be hidden ... or one of the cute garden sheds that are a charming part of the landscape. Make a calculation about what other outdoor utility space (that is needed for storage, composting, etc.) that might relate to the shed. You might want to place such an area behind the shed (as viewed from house.) While you don't necessarily need to plan all the landscaping, you should plan how the grass and landscape area divides (the bed line). The shed could be in the planted area (not too deep in) with the opening adjacent to the lawn, or it could have a path from the lawn to it. As it stands now, I think your blue rectangle is too close to the side lot line. The first place that jumps out at me as a good possibility is to set the building in the corner (not too deep in) at a diagonal to the house, with the door facing the patio ... but then, it would need to be a cute garden shed.

OK, you have the plants & you need to get them in the ground. Raspberries take up quite a lot of room in a sunny area. They can get out of control quickly & grow long swaying boughs. I tried growing 4 in about 10 ft. by 3 ft.area, not nearly enough space & not full sun so I ended up taking them out after a few years. Strawberries like a lot of sun but can probably take a little shade(in So. Ca. anyway) don't bury them deeper than they are in pot. They spread by runners next summer so figure out your bed so it is easy to get to plants & from all sides to pick berries. Lilies spread so if you are tied up with kids or getting older might want them somewhere so if they multiply it won't ruin your garden if you don't get to them each year-they like lot of sun.They are most attractive when several of 1 color are clumped together. Iris don't like being messed with until divided. Lily of Valley like lots of shade as do most Hostas. Sort out your plants by area they need to be in,then arrange them in their pots until they look right, keep your veggies separate from other plants & try to keep your herbs in a bed by themselves, chives, oregano, onions,etc, they get messy & might put parsley around outside edge of this bed to make it more interesting. Get some graph paper & start planning on paper so you know where you will have trees how much shade they are going to give & if they can have shade plants under them. Get your sunny areas figured out & that will be area for veggies,berries, herbs,if you are planting corn,peas, green beans, squash they take up a lot of room so you will have to cut back on shade. If there is nothing behind garage & a space back there in shade you can make that your lily of valley area & break it up bit with couple of hostas. You don't want your garden & yard so much work you don't get to enjoy it. Digging out the lawn to put all this in will be lot of work so have to make it more manageable.If you want paths you need to include them. Need place to sit & relax & have friends over so you can enjoy fruits of your labors.If your library has Birds & Bloom magazines, there was lovely evolved garden in there some months ago. All gardens evolve as years go by, you find what works for you. The perfect spot at your neighbor's 2 doors down may get you O results at your place so lot of it is trial & error.I love rhubarb, planted it & it was going crazy,hanging over in lawn so I moved it,never have found a place that works since. I had planted a lovely peace rose there I don't have any rhubarb now. It doesn't like wet feet. So you may have to move plants that aren't happy anyway no matter how you plan it out. Good Luck!

These are just my thoughts if it was mine...so its my preferences...keep that in mind... If she is a co-worker..and wants maintaince to keep low, there is prolly a reason, like a job maybe that keeps much time? I would personally steer clear of roses...prunning, black spots, and ect are not low maintaince..tho I know rose lovers will argue that... but my feelings are if I want low maintaince..I dont want roses, not matter how much I love them....I like the arbor deal...what about a Autum clemitis? Or Some other larger variety? I find them virtually maintaince free other than a seasonal prunning. They Seem to find their own way once started. She has great bones ...a gorgeous patio...could she benefit from a covering for that patio of some kind? I find a patio in full sun with no shade is often not used...I can see LARGE containers of color on the patio...for impact..the patio looks quite large..keep proportion in mind and clutter down to showcase the beautiful brickwork...if she wants low maintaince again..and blasts of color..consider day lillys of varies colors and bloom times..practically no maintaince..lots of impact...what about lavendar? I like its low maintaince...hostas a bit for "fake bushes". I like to use hosta where bushes with falling leaves or triming causes maintaince..hosta's do not..other than dividing them occasionally..and cutting dead leaves off and the end of the season...some of the bigger varieties can mimic bushes...pampas grass? Or some of the other grasses? They have a bit of a messy look..and have season maintance..but not weekly really....Black Eyed susans are a fav of mine for mid/to late season maintaince free color...live for ever? Great fall color..no maintaince..Coral bells? I can see her keeping much of what she has for privacy and just trimming it up and building the beds out..lots of curves and bumps that mimic the curve of her patio? Using the curves and bumps to create a grass courtyard through the middle that forms little roundish rooms kind of...a bench and fountain maybe in one of those little grass rooms? A place to admire from the back side..the patio and the artwork that new beds created? Enough to soften..but not to create much work....she has great bones to start with.....it could be quite warm and inviting and a escape from the busy world. Does she want to go headlong into it..or does she want to do it in stages? That could also impact what she wants...Everything you plant creates maintaince..but by choosing carefully you can really "limit" maintaince..

Thanks everyone. It's so fun to take the pictures every year and see how things are looking. Cheryl, the ghetto is up to about 50 roses. If we have a rainy season, I would like to get a bunch of those in the ground. Otherwise, I am going to have to build a bigger cold frame! :-) Want any roses? Stevation, the funny thing about the local nurseries - I usually show up driving the oldest truck in town, usually a little sweaty or grungy from from working outside - and mostly am ignored! :-) I must look too poor to bother with. :-)))) I have been working on other hobbies, too, mostly horse riding. It keeps me from obsessing about the thrips and flea beetles that are so obnoxious in the dry weather. If I had a ski boat, I know what my new hobby would be! Emagineer, our RR is also 10. We can tell she's getting old because the bunnies have moved into the yard. :-) Digit, alot of folks do apply alfalfa or alfalfa meal. The problem I have here in the SW corner of the state is lack of rain. With drip irrigation, it's just too dry for the top layers of compost to be doing my soil any good. I do spread and scratch in the left over alfalfa sludge and apply lots of compost and manure, but right now it's just dried out and doing no good on top. Topdressing seems to do the most good applied in Fall, when winter and spring moisture helps to work it into the soil. The tea is easy to make, I can mix it with a fish emulsion and apply it to everything with a hose using a siphonject feeder. The results in my garden have amazed me. Cheers, Michelle