The only thing I see beyond the lawn area that looks inherently ugly and in need of alteration (as in planting to obscure it) or removal is the chain link fence. And if you don't like the rocks it looks like those simply need to be hauled away or used for something else on the property. That there is not enough of a change in grade for a wall to be required in the first place.

I would remove the rocks and the fence leaving you with a lovely view!

I agree that there's nothing wrong with your natural surroundings. The only problem is the fence and it needs to go. I would keep the rocks and use them to create a woodland garden in front of the trees (scatter them among ferns, hostas, small azaleas, spring bulbs, etc.)

@Embothrium Totally agree on the fence. It's just not something we can tackle right now. We've had to gut and renovate the full interior of the home, and need to phase in the landscaping plans. Good to know on the rock wall. So we can remove the rocks and then just grade it using dirt.

@callirhoe123 We're looking to get a dog in a few years so would like to keep the fence for now! Long term we will likely replace.

Has anyone had any luck spray painting a chain link fence black?

Any recommendations for shrubs that could work? Ideally something that would stay green all year round and relatively low maintenance (although not opposed to pruning).

Regarding shrubs -- if you want to plant close to the trees, check the soil first. It may be full of roots or rocks. Also, anything you plant there will have to compete with the trees for water, and the trees will always win. So be prepared to have a plan how you are going to water and a source of water nearby. Dragging a long watering hose every time you want to water gets real old real fast.

Why not some flowering vines on the fence? They will not be in the way when the time for fence removal comes as shrubs could be.

not to mention a haphazardly stacked retaining wall for a good portion of the property

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BTW .. you are being a bit generous calling that a wall ... i would bet my shiny penny.. its just a pile of refuse found in the soil while grading the yard ... perhaps while building that other wall ...

but i wouldnt call it a stacked wall ...lol

ken

All the loose rock along the back fence line was never a wall. It looks half natural rock outcropping and half that's were all the loose rock on the lot got tossed. It's a rock mine. You're not going to remove it. You can certainly stack them nicely and tidy them up.

The trees in the first pic growing in the rocks are fine. They can stay.

That is a fence that was run through raw through the forest. Fix it. It will help keep the bigger varmints out. Could be you could paint it black? Put a gate in the back so you can maintain a 'dead zone' on the outside.

The forest on the other side of the fence actually looks pretty clean. I don't see thick brush or tangling vines. It is probably largely herbaceous plants. That view of a more natural forest understory could be quite nice through the seasons.

If you want to be planting some screening, don't let the fence line be the guide. Let the sight lines be the guide. Houses need hiding? Decks/patio need privacy? No need to hide the forest or the fence. There is too much of it to hide.

Visit a good local nursery, Look at the evergreen shrubs. Read the tags. Plant to allow for unmolested mature size. That is what makes for low maintenance.

That was my thought as well -- the rocks are part of that landscape. I see a lot of surface roots, so the bedrock could be right under the surface.

That's why you should dig a few test holes to see if you can even plant your shrubs without having to use dynamite...

@JoJo (Nevada 9A) I like the woodland garden idea, but not sure what that could look like. Do you have a picture you can share? Great point about the trees taking much of the soil. I know very little about gardening or plants (learning as I go – more of my husband’s territory), but the soil does feel very different here. Almost clay like. The soil is definitely full of roots -there’s tons that are poking up through the soil. Is that a sign the bedrock is right under the surface and we need to be careful with what we plant?

@callirhoe123 When we first moved in we had a ton of vines on the fence and we didn’t love the look, especially since there’s so much fence line to cover.

@Christopher CNC A gate in that section of the fence does sound good – especially when my daughter tossed a frisbee over the fence and it was a long walk to go get it. Love the idea of painting it black. Starting to think everyone is right- it probably just needs a good clean up and it will make a huge difference. Especially since we’re not replacing the fence.

@ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5 I love your questions – and yes I am being generous calling it a retaining wall! Some more pictures of the property below. We have almost an acre, but the property is very wide, not deep. There is an inground pool on the right side of the house on the hill – that’s the additional fencing you see. It’s abandoned and needs fixing, but that’s hopefully in the budget for next year or following. For the portion with the retaining wall (actual wall, not just rocks scattered about 😉 ) we are thinking of potentially building a fire pit area in that space? That’s just an early thought though and we haven’t spent time investigating. Maybe at the base of the stairs we’ll level out the yard a bit and put pavers down to build a patio area? Feel free to tear apart these ideas and impart some wisdom!

Picture of the pool taken in the fall. Some of the trees in the background have been cut down - most of this area was covered in poison ivy everywhere so we had to cut a lot back.

Yes, a gate would be a good idea. If you want shrubs, decide if you want flowering plants, evergreens etc. Then go to a good nursery and talk about options with someone knowledgeable. Make sure that the ultimate width and height meet your requirements. It's a large property. One project at a time makes sense.

Jukoziol,

This is what I mean by a woodland garden:

But it is a lot of maintenance (a lot of watering and raking leaves when you plant under trees), so shrubs are much easier to grow. You can still scatter the rocks among the shrubs and create a nice look.

Rocks and shrubs go very well together, so keep them and incorporate them in the landscape.

But before you buy any shrubs, buy a shovel and try to dig a few holes here and there, see what you're dealing with. You may have to adjust your plans depending on what you find under the surface (soil? more rocks? bedrock?).

Spend the first year learning what comes up as the spring and summer progress. Collect ideas of things you like and save them in a Houzz idea book. And then once your indoor projects are under way, you can think about how you want to use the yard and what kinds of spaces you like- grow veggies, a flower cutting garden, outdoor kitchen or grilling area, outdoor dining and lounging. Quiet spaces for meditation or reflection. Tree house or play equipment, pool renovation or removal etc. a landscape architect can help tremendously- the swales and retaining wall may be there for erosion/ water control that you don’t know about yet. The architect can draw up plans that you can install in phases as you save money or have time to do. Investing in the plan will help keep you on track with your goals.

back in the day.. being a one man crew ... it would have taken me about 5 years to work my way up to that property line ... it would have been of the lowest priority ...

and i agree with the thought that whatever you plant up there.. no more straight lines ... make whatever you plant 3 dimensional ... not just a flat straight green curtain back there.. and diversify ,... do NOT plant all of one thing ...

games starting.. more later ... go blue ...

and finally.. you may some day have a use for the rock up there.... line a bed or something ...

ken

Thank you all. I really like those photos @JoJo (Nevada 9A) We actually had some river rock scattered about the property that we've been cleaning up so this gives me some ideas on how we could work those back into the landscaping.

Looking through some more photos, totally agree that one type of plant/shrub all the way around the property isn't the way to go. And also, realizing that's a ton of property line to work with so better to focus on some other activities first - I think cleaning up will go a long way and just fixing the grass and some minor water issues we're finding out about.

Thanks all for sharing your wisdom and giving me some direction.