No need for lawn mowers. We removed the grass in the backyard. The secret garden look is pretty. Thank you!

Suggest not piling dirt against the wood fence. It will make it rot much faster.

Think you are on a good track. Will caution you to keep the soil below the level of the fence to prevent rot.

This a narrow space for direct sunlight..are you sure succulents will thrive here?...i agree a more casual stepping stone walkway in a narrow space like this will work better ...adding a raised area makes it feel more narrow..perhaps those bricks could be arranged as meandering stepping stones with a variety of pretty ground covers..adding some lattice to the fence....here and there for some climbing plants that will thrive in that spot with even a little arched walk thru lattice across the space will add to the charm of the secluded area

If you plan on small stone ground cover be sure and lay down weed cloth to discourage weeds from growing .personally i prefer pea gravel for these spots...in certain areas you can find a pretty bluish variety rather than the dusty beige one....another option that is less obtrusive in narrow areas is colorful taller pots with trailing or tall plantings...

You will notice in Patricias beautiful picture ...the plants are mostly shade varieties...

It looks like you need all of the lower space for walking and drainage. Also, it looks like you might not be being careful enough to pitch soil away from the house. You don't want water flowing toward the house.

Progress:

Hey that does look like progress!! For the sake of a smoother, wider path and the cleanest look, I'd be inclined to go sans stepping stones, and just mulch the path. Good luck with the finishing and planting. Hopefully, the rain is running out along the path.

Thanks! We did install drainage system throughout the yard that will drain to the street.

looks good so far! I think keeping the wall on the right blank would be fine. it's a narrow space, no need to crowd it.

I would get bigger stepping stones or clump 3 together for each step...this way it looks like walking a tight rope...no stones would be a mess ..at best...you need a solid surface to walk on in an area like this...

You also need a good surface to move thru with equipment like mowers or wheelbarrows

Before you start any plantings i would do something with the wood fencing...pressure wash is a good step as this will allow leaving it natural if it cleans up the discoloring...otherwise a penetrating colorwash or dark stain will probably be the easiest options..paint not a good option as it eventually deteriorates..peels etc...

Thanks for the tip on the fencing.

Update: some plants and cleaned/stained fence

Whoa! The fence looks great!...

It all does!....any plan on covering the dirt yet?..dont forget a layer of weed cloth...

Thank you! It’s been a long but rewarding project. So far pleased with the results.

So, it is not dirt. We laid down decomposed granite (DG). Still need to apply the stabilizer. We plan to keep it like this for a while to keep the yard drought tolerant and low maintenance. (I am located in SoCal.)

Eventually we may install artificial grass in the larger/main area of the yard but will keep the DG and step-stones in the side yard.

I do plan to plant ground cover in between the plants, which are various drought tolerant plants.

Good plan...the granite is a great material for walkways..and you probably know compacting is an important step as well...we have had it on our long steep country driveway for 20 years now....even with this kind of traffic we have only had to refresh it once in that time frame..which in your situation will probably never be needed...it seems like all you have done is a good solid investment toward a carefree and attractive area...

As for carefree ground covers and your location i am sure you are looking at succulents...which need little or no water..and come in enough varieties to make it interesting and varied...we go to the desert in the winter and and enjoy these a lot

These flourish in a very similar situation to yours...some shade and some extreme sun exposure ...altho it is the desert...in palm springs