I don't remember if I told you, but make a skimpy dashed line with the paint with the first walk through. Appraise the results and make corrections with a heavier dashed line. Appraise again and when you think it's right, go over it with a solid line. Depending how good you are about it, it can be fairly straightforward... or it can get messy. So take your time appraising it from many angles before making the corrections. If it gets really messy, a second, different paint color is useful. Once you get the line as you want it, mark it in some permanent way (cut with shovel?) as the paint will not last long. After a couple of weeks of weathering and mowings it may be so faded you can barely make it out. If you want the line reviewed, post a picture taken from a high elevation. I know you're making changes to the concept plan I showed you so I just want you to be thinking through the planting arrangements as you make the changes. Since you're doing this work yourself, I have the feeling you're going to become good at evaluating what you've done and the way things are fitting together... especially after you see a year's growth. Now that you're a transplant expert, you'll be able to make adjustments when you see some are needed. The hibiscus is more a shrub than "tree." It looks like something that should be within easy view of deck or pool area. Since you're new to so many plants and trying to save some $ by doing the work and putting this together over time, you might consider creating a temporary place where you plant various perennials that are under consideration...a regular perennial garden. You could collect plants with zero worry about what goes where, just stick them in. See how they do. Get to know them. You could place such a garden in any place that's not ready yet to be landscaped (so it's not in the way for a while.) As you evaluate plants, you can increase the stock of those you like. Some perennials multiply so rapidly that if you buy one, from it you can make all the others of that kind you need. If you do it, add 1/3 volume of peat moss to the planting soil so it is better to work in and better to grow things. Another thing I meant to mention, where you have like groups of plants (say River Birch) when it's all said and done you'll want these plants to match as though they came from the same family. It will not be pretty if one is a 5-trunk multi and another is a single trunker... and one branches as 8' above the ground, and another at 12 feet. They need to look like they're all from the same planet and got their hair cut at the same salon. What to do about it? This year, nothing. Just see what they do and try to make them as healthy and fast growing as possible. At the end of next winter, you'll want to do whatever pruning (before spring growth occurs) that's required to make them be matched. But never fear, even if it has to be severe, as long as they're healthy they'll bounce back and keep going.

Nice additions. I am guessing the design you have up top is like I said earlier to block the view of the neighbors homes from you house and for a winter windbreak. I didn't read the entire article due to time and it seems yardvark pretty much nailed everything as usual. I would just say personally I would add a little color via roses, would talk to a local nursery on those, and I would certainly look into edibles a bit more like a couple of apples. You could get full size "standard", Semi, or dwarf. I would slap a honeycrispx2 on there and a granny smith. I would also pick up a cherry or two, I personally like ranier but don't know how well they do in your area. That way you get spring blooms, fall apples/color, and something to look forward to seasonally. I would also augment those with evergreens like hollies with red berries for winter interest. When in doubt go for some more evergreens. Spring/Fall pretty much take care of themselves. See what looks best in your area in the summer/winter in the nurseries and go that route when in doubt of what to plant.

d keith, The idea of planting on a hill is both to prevent erosion, which is really important, and to look really nice. Full sun, zone 7, great for erosion, crape myrtle, buy more of them. They are wonderful, they have strong roots, you already have one there, and will provide a little bit of shade, which most plants will appreciate since you have sun all day. They will be on sale now, so buy more crape myrtles, they are anchors. Buy a chase tree, gorgeous blue flowers, no maintaince, drought tolerant, loves sun. Get at least one chaste tree. When you plant it, add some composted cow manure in the whole since you have clay, for the chaste tree. Evergreen magnolia is wonderful for a hill! Look for them at big box stores or nurseries now. Their roots spread out, and they grow great on hills. They are easy to care for, love sun and are evergreen. Get at least one of those, you will love the fragrant flowers in spring. The reason for the trees is important, they are the first line of defense against the pouring rain. It first hits the trees, they provide cover. Then you look for shrubs, a medium cover, like roses, which are wonderful and hardy, and also love the heat and sun. So buy some medium sized roses. You can use a soaker hose to water them. Also ornamental grasses are beautiful, and sort of medium size. Grasses need water though, so if you put out a soaker hose, include them in the path. The junipers are a wonderful suggestion also. there are ground cover junipers, you can plant them here and there, they are evergreen, which is good, they are ground covers, so they will also help the ground stay where it is. St. Johns Wart, sedum, ajunga, daylilies, little spirea shrubs, just a few suggestions as to some plants that you can plant around on the hill and will take fast. Good Luck to you.

back yard view from the entrance of the house backyard pic 2. the corner used to have a ficus tree that was cut down. We are thinking of putting a fire pit and seating close to that corner. there is ground cover on the back and right side of the yard since the backyard has some slope. pushing that line back would require a retaining wall of some sort. this corner held another ficus tree that was taken down. this side of the house backs to two neighbors. right side of the yard. there was a huge ficus tree right there - roots were getting under the house and the wall. the cutout from the concrete patio here doesn't make sense. looking to extend that. .we want to extend the patio all the way out in this half of the backyard. the concrete is in good shape so we are thinking of options - pavers or colored concrete - that might be able to work with this patio and save on the demolition and re-paving costs for the existing patio area.