I would find a budget way to do a fence. You can almost certainly do it for what you're planning to spend on plants, and its advantages outweigh plants by a huge margin. A planter box would be no cheaper either. The plan of using plants has so many disadvantages that, until you'd said why you weren't considering a fence, there was just nothing to say about a way to do it well. A fence takes no space. Works for the purposes you intend. Has immediate effectiveness, and year-round effectiveness. Is no work to maintain. Can still have plants, which are easy to install after a fence is in, while a fence is harder to build once plants are in place. You can even do the fence in phases. Not that the plants won't be a phased approach too! But your fence can be effective while you phase it in. Seek out lumber in creative ways: craigslist free listings is a favourite. Cruise industrial alleys for pallets. But here's the thing: the bones of a fence need only be posts, and a few rails, which to start with could be just 1x2s or whatever you can locate. If you get the dog later, then you can invest in 2x4 rails and pickets, or panels. I think it would be a good investment to put in new posts; I don't think this would much exceed the cost of the plants you've proposed. Maybe a post hole digger would even be a good investment and affordable; I got one for only $70. If you ultimately want a tall fence, use tall posts (set the correct distance apart) - your fence can be short to start with. KarinL

While play sets are great, they are expensive and do take up space . . . And you can always take your kids to a playground. You can't take them to a sandbox (well, unless you live near the beach), nor can you take them to a trampoline. My kids had a single swing on a tree branch, and it was heavily used for YEARS. They also had a Little Tikes slide. They didn't use it for years, but they did use it intensely around 1.5-2.5 years. Literally, they'd slide, the run around to slide again . . . Maybe 50 times in a row. Somehow it was a big confidence builder. Lots of playtime for something that cost $2 at a yard sale . . . And then went to younger nieces and nephews. Ditto for the sandbox. My kids used it, used it, used it. You can get one with a lid. When I have grandchildren, I think I'll build a really big, really fine sandbox. My kids did love it so. I don't remember sand in the house being an issue, but we didn't keep the sandbox particularly near the back door, so the sand had space to fall off. When our kids were in elementary school, my husband bought a trampoline, which he said had been his favorite toy growing up. No other toy was used as much for as many years as that trampoline. They jumped on it every single day, they'd lay on it and read. They even slept out on it a couple times. We did make strict rules about shoes and multiple jumpers. And we didn't allow them to bring the dog up (for fear her claws would cut the material and/or the dog would break her legs jumping off). You do need some kind of a step to help the kids access the trampoline, and I'd recommend a safety net.

If you are in "desperate need of a landscape plan", then you are in desperate need of a landscape designer :-) Many designers will prepare a plan for you to be able to follow on your own as a DIY project, hiring out only those areas that may need a professional hand. You are just not going to get much of a detailed response/plan online that you will be able to follow well......too much infomation is lacking. But you can check wth local nurseries for recommendations, try Angie's List or similar clearinghouse or if in the US, see if there is a local chapter of the Association of Professional Lanscape Designers (APLD). You can prepare a landscape plan on your own but the learning curve is very high. Hiring a designer is really a very modest investment but one that will streamline the process and is most likely to generate a successful result. The primary expense associated with landscaping is in the materials and the labor involved, not with the design.

I would get a quote from a contractor to see how much they would charge for a deck constructed like this. If they suggest a different method, they'll tell you why. Then you'll have a point of comparison for your cost of materials including delivery, purchase or rental of power tools etc. I would only consider a floating deck on level ground. The cement footers will have more soil pressure from the slope on the house side - could this could gradually shift them downhill towards the iron rail fence? Might cost a lot to fix a moving deck and a damaged fence. Your HOA board will probably take a good long look at your construction method, which is a hassle you don't need. I hope some people more familiar with construction methods will chime in.