You people are great! So much input and so fast. So here's a little more info on what I'm thinking: - Privacy: We would like to have privacy in the yard. The windows are not an issue. We are in the yard a lot as soon as it's nice enough outside and practically have every meal outside. The neighbors use their yard not as much but often enough, the lady runs a day care out of her house, and they mainly use their back entrance for coming and going. Right now it's so open you bascially cannot not say Hi. And while they are nice, I'd like to have the option of ignoring them once in a while without seeming rude. :) So I guess, we don't need a castle just more view protection from their yard/walkway into our yard, especially our sitting area and my hammock. A picture of the other side of the yard from early summer so you can imagine the whole thing. On the patch of concrete in front of the hammock is now a table with 6 chairs. As you can see there's not so much sheltering us from the other neighbor either, but it's not so bad. The impression is different because of the oak tree "ceiling" and the rose bush (hard to see, it's hidden behind the tree from this perspective). And I've had some annual climbers grown on 5 ft supports. They came with the house and are not pretty but for now they'll do. Also, the neighbor is never in the yard and we rarely see him coming or going... Walkway: The first thing I wanted to get rid off was this ugly concrete path, especially since it cuts the yard in half like that. But after I figured out how much it would cost to remove the concrete and then to put down a more appealing alternative, and into how many plants/other yard structures that would convert, my plan for now is to try to develop a plan around the existing walkway, maybe add arches for depth, a focal point in the middle of the pathway, have the "rooms" go off to the side of the path, and stain the concrete a dark color. No lawn yard: I'm really in a total starting phase. I went outside and measured everything yesterday. When I get it on graphing paper and some ideas down I will run it by you guys. So far the following ideas are floating in my head: Since it would be better if the pathway could stay, my thought was to go with the geometry of the space (square) and have square four rooms that go off from the path. The patio will stay where it is. It's convenient too because of the shade from the oak tree. I would like to make the hammock area into a retreat corner. Surrounding vegetation for that should be at least chest high. For the back right side there are a few things in my head but nothing concrete yet. It has the most sun. A sitting spot with a rockgarden. Or with perennials centering around peonies. Or... On the left side the front may be kept open for a child play area maybe with sandbox. I may actually keep the lawn there or replace it with a no mow stepable groundcover. But I would want to widen the flowerbed or planting area next to the fence at least a few feet. Then something to divide the "childplay room" from the back left. I was thinking of a veggie garden there since it gets decent sun, but I'm not yet sure how much we'll be here enough during the crictical months of the summer. It may have to be a yard to be enjoyed in early and late summer. If not veggies, then I don't know yet. All this hasn't been scatched out so I have no idea if I'm trying to cram much too much into our small yard and should depart from the four room idea. Fence: It's stained from what I can tell. And it's worn off in quite a few places. I'm from Germany and I don't know what people do with the fences here in this climate. I'll find out. Re: the privacy issue so far I like the idea of supports that maybe mimmick the shape of the pickets maybe just part of the whole length. I worry that posts and wires will not look good. I will also look into tall, narrow pergolas, but I find the structures usually too "heavy" for our little yard. Or just plain ugly looking. ;) But maybe there are some out there that could fit the bill. Karin, what would you do if the pathway was to stay? I liked your thinking, I just don't think it's in the budget... Hmh... lots to think about... Thanks so much already. And keep it coming.

As far as raising the beds goes, there's a sewer drain in the corner of my yard - and I'll be leaving an area for water to drain into that between the beds. This is basically how it currently drains, and I'll continue to direct the water in that fashion. I am not going to worry about fastigate/columnar trees shading shrubs below them. My backyard is "full full full" sun and all shrubs will do just fine. I don't have many other options for trees and going with an Armstrong will be one of the narrowest choices I can make. The shade will do little to the shrubs below. The sun will still hit the shrubs from multiple directions as it crosses over my house in a diagonal path and will provide early in the day and late at night sun to any shrubs that may be shaded just a bit. I'm not too concerned about this. Thanks for the "Gold" maple option... that looks great! Now where to find these trees?! I've looked around at local nursery catalogs and can't even find the "standard" Armstrong maple... how do you folks go about hunting down good stock? I'm not into buying plants online; I want to see and inspect what I'm buying in person. If it helps, I'm in zip code 60108 if anybody has a helpful search... Thanks.

What part of Iowa are you in and are there a lot of deer around? My first thought for a thin upright conifer that won't get too big (or can be kept trimmed) in Iowa is Thuja occidentalis 'Jantar'- has really nice foliage throughout the year and will end up 3-4' wide eventually. Foliage on the new growth is literally outstanding. Deer will munch on them if they are prevalent in your area. Another arborvitae that is very fast growing that would work is Hetz Wintergreen. It is a true deep green all year but (in time) will end up wider that you might want. Only other evergreen option I thought of was Picea glauca 'Pendula'. You won't find much else that stays thin and tall unless you were to go for something like an upright deciduous tree (Skinny Genes Oak or Kindred Spirit Oak- both will end up a little wide though) or ornamental trees like Standing Ovation Serviceberry or Parkland Pillar Birch. 9-10 feet will take a few years in either case. I would avoid Skyrocket Juniper at all costs unless it is a very open, well-drained site. Most Skyrockets last about 5-7 years and then end up diseased and dead. Occasionally we've had luck with one or two making it but overall Iowa is not the place for Skyrocket. Pictures of the site would be very helpful.

The groundcover you choose will depend on where you are and your requirements. If you have a mulched path through the side yard, then your options open a little to include a groundcover not especially tolerant of being walked on. If you have no mulched path, you'd need a more durable groundcover. It should be low whatever it is. The Hostas at the house are fine. Make the bed for them deeper and plant/increase them such that they are less spotty. Instead of with a fence, you could screen with a tallish hedge or an extended trellis of vine. Either will require light in order to grow well, and space (especially the hedge.) The trees then present a problem because they've been allowed to grow with those low limbs, which will be in the way and will add shade. No doubt, the tree would have had vastly better form had these been removed when young. We can't see the tree's head so no opinion on the form if these were removed now. But since it's the side yard, it's probably not too critical. Too, your neighbor's tree has low branches/limbs hanging over the property line and these will add more shade. You have the right to remove these back to the property line, whether your neighbor agrees with it or not, as he cannot control your property by placing things in it. Most people would be polite and inform him of their desire to remove the limbs and give him the opportunity to do it himself, if he wished. You'll need the light in order to succeed with your project. If you don't have it, new plantings will likely just eke by, looking weak and thin.