Where are you in CO? I can hardly wait for spring in my Springs neigborhood as the place comes to life with so many flowering trees. It too is an older area. Am working on my backyard also, about twice your size but in the same situation. It is a tradgedy from lack of care by previous owners, but did come back to life a bit last summer...with a bunch of continuous attention. At one time it must have been a beautiful yard as there were remants of a rock garden and many roses still attempting to live. I have huge trees at the far back and both sides of the yard are flanked with old lilacs which completely hide the fencing. The rest of the yard is open with old lawn and nothing else. Was able to plant a couple of small trees for future shade closer to the house, but with this winter cold they may not have made it. After considering some ideas (and I can't afford a landscaper), I've decided that hardscape is the answer to beginning again in this yard. The area most needed is coming out of the back door onto a 12 X 20 concrete patio. It feels barren, am building a 4' fence around it, about 2' beyond the pad so I can add plants/bushes/vines between the patio and fence. Would love a pergola over the patio but costs seem to have gone through the roof, so the fence came to mind to soften the patio and I'll just keep using umbrellas. Another addition is a potting shed with porch. A new roof went on last summer, saved all the wood shingles to use on the shed. I also have 2 big dogs and they love their yard. It is difficult to plan a garden with tender plantings which is why I've decided hardscape first, then start adding the plantings nearby where they can be safe from paw paths. So....I didn't add anything to help you. But my first thought would be trees, get a start on them, at least 3 in various locations and near the patio for shade. Is the patio flagstone? It could be taken out and reused in the same location on a new base. Some large bushes by the alley fence and garage. Hardscape wise, I love sheds...they can be tiny and still give some cottage feeling. I actually saw a victorian shed built in a front yard, it was charming. Hopefully some others will respond who have more knowledge of cottage gardens....at this point with mine it feels like it will take forever to get where theirs are.

Yes, we all need more trees. I saw something in the news that SL County wants to see 1 million trees planted in the next 10 years. I don't know how they plan to promote that, but it's a great goal. Anyway, I think that's funny how you planted in the neighbor's yard. Reminds me of guerrilla gardening (http://www.guerrillagardening.org) where people sneak out at night and plant nice things to beautify neglected spaces. Anyway, you DEFINITELY should be gardening, Sharla! Don't be daunted just because it can be complicated. It's not always complicated, and you'll learn some things along the way as you do it. It's so rewarding to grow stuff and see your accomplishments as they make your yard a nicer place. As for the red maple, just watch it and see. It may be fine, but if the leaves get pale or yellow, it is getting iron chlorosis from our alkaline soil. It's not that we don't have enough iron, but it can't be used very well by some plants when they're in alkaline soils. These are usually trees or shrubs that came from back East or some other climate that has rich, acid, forest soils. Anyway, if that happens, post back here, and we can help you deal with the sick tree.

Thanks for your appreciation for my approach, s8us89ds, and I like the the points you have made about opportunities to create habitat and ecosystems. (Disclosure: I am a restoration ecologist, by profession, and this is what I do, even at home: create habitat.) I've observed that birds, in particular, find my yard more a more useful and better place to hang out than elsewhere in the neighborhood, which is a 1970s tract development with lots generally in the 1/5- to 1/3- acre range. This is a big plus, aesthetically, for me, along with the visual pleasure of the tapestry of chaparral plants. The other great advantage to taking this approach, as you point out, is that it is inexpensive and can pretty much be done by anyone who can dig a minimal planting hole in unimproved soil (what you want when planting natives) while standing on a steep slope. Blanchette, a bit of advice, with reference to "craning in" large oaks or olives. Planting a relatively modest-sized tree and letting it establish from a younger age invariably works out better, in my experience, than the instant (but generally short-lived) gratification of installing a large tree. Beyond the eye-popping expense of buying and installing mega-trees, there are often major, years-long problems with establishment that need to be skillfully managed when using such trees. Fine if you are up to doing that, but often a disappointment. Case in point: about 10 years ago, a neighbor a few houses up my street had a very large olive tree (was at least the 300-gallon size) installed (using a crane, etc.) in his front yard about the same time I planted a gallon-sized olive in my back yard. His tree has developed significant root problems and it has lost two-thirds of its canopy; the tree is, at best, barely surviving and unhealthy -- not to mention disfigured because of major branches having to be amputated. The olive tree I planted is now larger than his (in fact, is currently about the same size he started with) and quite healthy. I personally won't plant anything larger than a gallon-sized plant and consider 5-gallon the upper limit.

One of my favorite ornamentals is Golden Guinea vine, which has a growing habit more like a bush than a vine. It is very manageable, it will not get out of control, and it produces cheerful yellow flowers (which unfortunately do not last long). You might also think about a fruit tree, maybe a pomegranate or Gold Kist Apricot. Pomegranates grow exceptionally well in Southern California and produce attractive fiery-orange blossoms and attractively-shaped fruit. Even for someone who doesn't like eating pomegranates, this could still be a tree to consider purely for ornamental use. Pomegranate trees can tend to grow very bush-like though, and sometimes become overgrown, but they can easily be cut back. I mentioned the Gold Kist variety of apricot because it will still be an abundant fruit-producer with the lack of chill hours in your climate. You could also plant a seedless Satsuma tangerine tree. These don't get very big. The flavor can be variable though, depending on environmental factors and age of the tree (don't be disheartened if the fruits taste watery and bland the first year, the flavor really improves after many years). These are great for snacking and effortless to peel. A lemon tree is always nice to have too. What about planting a few rose bushes? Or if you really hate thorns there are some beautiful varieties of Camellias and Tree Peonies.