Of course, being a good steward of our reasources, such as by planting grasses that need less water and fertilzer is good. But, if global warming is happening and threatening to push us in to a whole different kind of weather epoch, I sure wouldn't have any problem growing a lighter shade of grass to to try to help mother nature balance out the higher temps that may be resulting from all the greenhouse gasses our industrial age has been pumping in to the atmosphere. While day to day temps, even a whole season can't be taken as indicators of changes in world wide changes, I was working outside yesterday and had to come in and put on a short sleeved shirt because it was so hot. An unheard of thing in 30 years of living in Amarillo, Texas. Also, when things like sheet ice at the poles start disapperaing, as we can see and measure, it becomes a little more difficult to stick our heads in the sand and say nothing is happening. Now, I agree we may not know for sure, sure, that man is "causing" it. It could be part of mother nature's big long term cycles. But, even then, its probably best for us to do what we can to balance the climate out, say with little things that might add up, like more reflective grasses growing in millions of yards around the country. Science tells us it is a fact that "nature" led to periods of weather that had high temps and mega-droughts in the past. Weather patterns that were non-man made that helped kill off a majority of species in the past. Helping mother nature keep things balanced, regardless of the cause, might be a pretty wise investment for us to make in our own well being.

There is a fortress-like quality about the courtyard wall. If you widened the gateway and lowered the wall a bit there, it would seem less foreboding. The notched hedge theme seems busy to me and will lean toward covering too much of the stonework portion of the wall. I think it would be better to simplify the planting with fewer, but larger shrubs ... one per wall face. Then add sizeable areas of annual color flanking the entrance path. I would pull the trees more toward the side of the house than what you're showing. Street trees would be a separate line of trees. We can't see how extensive the line needs to be. When envisioning plantings, it's best to envision fully grown sizes in order to know what fits and where it would go. If using MS Paint as the graphic tool, use "free form selection" instead of "rectangular" and it will allow you to cut a tree shape out of the picture. Make it "transparent" (in the same list) in order for it not to have the white background. Use the handles at the corners to stretch the tree however large you need it to be.

It's a fact ... you'll not be able to get rid of the mess until you create a permanent, hard walk where there is now mulch. The magnolia roots are going to make it harder, but it must be done if there is to be a cure. I agree with others that something like concrete (simplest and cheapest) or pavers/brick are suitable. A walk laid out to acknowledge the tree will look and work better than one that doesn't. The bench only makes sense if there is a way to get to it ... i.e., use it. But because of Magnolia roots, it would add a lot of difficulty extending the walk to the bench. Therefore, I'd recommend using the bench elsewhere and having only plantings at the front of the house. Consider using a groundcover like Asiatic Jasmine to cover the magnolia roots.

need to know where you are .. big city name ... any septic issue or any other facts.. that will help us help you .. you might also define what you mean by mid sized ... odds are.. you wont be able to dig in the exact spot ... so figure out where you want it.. off 6 feet or so.. in any direction ... ken