pls8xx and gardenga148: I completely concur that the project should be broken down into 2 broad areas: (1) Land use/land planning for the overall 70 acres (2) Conversion of a small part to residential use I am still contemplating #1. However, I do believe I have settled on an aspect of overall land use. I believe, basically along or near the nature path, an area of sufficient width and composition to benefit bobwhite quail usage. In the old days, farms had small fields with lots of overgrown fence rows. That habitat was ideal for bobwhite quail. I believe I want to lay out the farm along those parameters (knowing that certain desires/goals compete with others). My research, consultation with my pastor (former horitculturalist and quail plantation manager) and personal experience are leading me to a strip approximately 15 feet wide of lespedeza intermixed with something like switchgrass or one of the other native grasses. I believe I want to combine the "habitat utility" of those or similar plants with a stepped (height and width) variety of native flowering, perennial plants, choosing a variety which is consistent with the wildlife management goal and visual appeal goal. There is a substantial likelihood that I would also break up the 28 acre agricultural field with a couple of cross corridors of similar plant material. These are among the types of things I am struggling with now. Comment on layout, continuity, plant selection and the like are what I am seeking. As each of you have said, this is a huge, long-term project and I seek input from others who's experience may bear on the layout, design and plant selection. I understand there are many, many different "right" and "wrong" ways. However, respecting the opinions of those participating in these forums, I would be interesting in reading your opinions and views and why you have those opinions and views. With respect to what I hoped to achieve with the pond. I like water. I like the ocean, rivers (large and small), lakes and ponds. I like to fish ocassionally but what I REALLY like is to feed the fish. It is very soothing. The pond can be an attractive focal point to the landscape. It can provide the "mirrored" images of the foliage surrounding it. And, if need be, it can provide for some irrigation. I have always liked looking out across the water, of sitting on my porch and looking across the water. I liked the idea of driving down the driveway into the house site and looking at the house across the pond as well. Back to another aspect of the overall land use. We initially intended to put the entire property into a pecan orchard, for both looks and future revenue. However, knowing there are always bad years along with good years with any crop, we decided that was not very smart. We also became interested in muscadine vineyards and fruit production. So, we will probably incorporate a bit of the pecan orchard, vineyard and fruit orchard. We want approximately 1/2 to 1 acre vegetable garden site. I believe we also want a "gardening" experimentation site of approximately 1/2 to 1 acre as well as a small greenhouse. I strongly expect we will leave the remaining oak ridge in mostly an as-is condition for the wildlife usage, but, with some modification to make in more friendly to the turkey and quail. I seem to have rambled a bit and apologize. But, with such a large overall project, it is difficult to include all the desires and keep them organized and coordinated. nandina, with respect to the observation of native flora, existing but possibly hidden features, I will try to do some walking and photographing this weekend. One focal point at the northern most point of the property where you see Potential Well Location, there was an old homeplace there. The shallow well still remains there. I expect to clean that well out and hang a usable well bucket there. An arbor is a possibility there. It could be purely decorative or be a "natural" appearing arbor with cultured muscadine vines so one could sit on a draw a bucket of cool well water, pick a few grapes, sit on a wooden bench, eat the grapes and look out over the landscape. One feature I didn't know about until buying and spending time on the farm is that for whatever reason, it attacts substantially more summer and fall breezes than most areas in the surrounding countryside. Thank you all again for your input and I look forward to more comments, critiques and suggestions. I will attach images of some of the wildflowers or weeds growing in the cut-over areas now.

I live in the South where painted brick is very common, and I love it. However, I don't think your brick is ugly at all! Maybe it's the effects of the sun fading it, or whatever, but it actually looks quite nice to me. My concern about painting your brick would be the amount of sun you say your house gets, as it would likely cause your paint to fade unevenly. Also, as someone mentioned previously, painting your brick would just create a different huge block of color to look at, and won't necessarily help to reduce the impression of size. If I were you, I would give my shutters and trim a fresh paint job; Charleston Green shutters and door with a warm white trim would go great with that color brick. Replace the brass door knocker and handle with some something less bright (even antiqued brass would look better). I also like the idea of the planter boxes for the upper windows to add a little softness and to visually break up the facade a bit. You will never achieve a cottage look with your home, as its overall design is inherently more formal, but I think these few smaller changes will go a long way towards helping it feel more cozy and warm and reduce the impression of size. Once you have your house spruced up, deal with the problems of the retaining wall separately. I agree that a painted retaining wall would not look good at all. I like the idea of a stacked stone or similar material.

Before committing to use the type of pavers that allow grass to be grown within the paver field, be aware that over time this type of paver settles correlating with the vehicles used on it. Heavy vehicles can cause depressions that can almost be called ruts. This happens slowly over time. Regular, solid paving, since it completely covers a surface, doesn't allow base material (which is usually sand) to work its way upward (while the paver is being pressed downward by weight and gravity) through holes in the surface. Grasscrete and similar pavers, having a continuous series of holes in the surface, allows base material to migrate upward when the paver is pushed downward. Since gravity is always working the paver does not return to its former elevation. It gradually sinks into the ground and the only way to fix it is to pull the sunken pavers up and reinstall base material below them. IMO, a residence does not seem like the ideal kind of place to use this type of paver. I think its better use is commercial situations where there is a need for temporary parking or auto circulation. Too, in this particular situation with a very large yard, I can't imagine that the grasscrete type of paver makes an environmental difference worth having. There is plenty of surrounding yard to absorb runoff from a private residence parking area. Since regular solid pavers absorb runoff much more than regular concrete, it seems one would find them satisfactory. In a rural situation as here, it would be very hard to make a case that residential concrete paving was somehow harmful to the environment.

I would go with a browner, mossier green to better harmonize with the brown of the brick + cream trim. Also research mineral paints - limeworks and Keim USA are 2 US based sources. These bond to the masonry (whether stone, concrete, stucco, etc) as opposed to being a paint film that sits on top of the surface - and are breathable (necessary to prevent moisture damage). Ive been told that the colors are more lively and beautiful, due to it being actual mineral pigment vs. chemical colorant. Cost - very reasonable, about what a medium-high end paint would cost. Only down side may be trying to find a painter. Just perservere- I found that while some I talked to looked at me like I had two heads, others were fascinated and eager to learn What others said about repair - get someone on that now before painting. And then youre good for another 100 yrs! Wood shakes would be a majorly expensive and unnecessary job that would probably end up waaayyy down on the priority list. Roof looks kinda old, fer instance. That might be the place to put some $ and get a shingle thing going on - either real wood or I have seen some fake shake roofs that dont look half bad, pretty convincing.