I finished a house remodel last year and started some of the basics (edging, shaped island bed, tested soil, planted a few trees, mulched) in the landscaping and then focused on the front. This year I hope to get this outside area defined and planted and put together. But I have so many ideas for it that I can't seem to focus. And I know that limiting the plant list keeps things looking cohesive. I love natural wild looking gardens. But being so close to town I know it would look out of place to remove all the grass. Here are some of my ideas but I'm very flexible and would love to see some of your creativity in this area.

• An area for a firepit
• An area to fit a 12 person table
• ferns/japanese forest grass/evergreen shrubs/moss
• some sort of water feature or a dry creek bed

This area is lower than the surrounding landscape making it very moist most of the time. It does drain but slowly so I've been trying to only add trees and plants that do well in fairly moist soil. The patio gets a lot of afternoon sun but the rest of the area gets partial shade and has some large pine trees surrounding it. A friend recommended decomposed granite for an outside eating area but I can't seem to find anyone around here (Zone 5, Indiana) that knows about it.

Plants/Trees already in the landscape include sugar maple (back left of first pick), several established white pines, kousa dogwood, serviceberry, hemlock, river birch, and autumn blaze maple.

from the patio (water moves from right to left, facing west)

towards the house (facing southeast)

For perspective, here's a pic of the house from the front.

I put in a dry creek in the front here that leads to a water basin at the left that's tiled into my downspout so I don't have to worry about water at the foundation. But I hope to promote rain garden tactics for the other moist areas around the house.