One question is, do you want this to be an area where you can walk/sit/play? Mulch can work for that, but vinca can't. Regarding the cost of taking the trees down, do consider getting an estimate, and find out what its components are. Disposal of the material will often be a good chunk of the cost, and if you can keep some of the chippings as mulch, or some of the trunk as firewood (put it on craigslist if you don't need it) you can probably keep it more affordable. Some types of wood are also worth something as lumber, and a tree removal company should be able to factor that in. You can also dispense with stump grinding, although obviously you will have to live with a stump for a while, as that often costs a few hundred. If you aren't getting the stump ground, a good remover should be able to cut the base pretty low for you. If nothing else, having an estimate will make your decision regarding whether to put so much effort into your yard an informed one. I have gardened under trees like this for many years, and it takes constant dedication to grow anything substantial in such an area, and it can rarely be done well. Mulch may be your answer, but is a shady mulched yard what you want? You might also consider that if you are planning to sell the place, the more unwieldy the trees get, the more likely it is that a buyer might deduct the cost of removal from the price offered for your house. Do you know what kind of trees you are dealing with? Karin L

Hi J, Even us lowland, urban gardeners often have multiple micro-climates in our yards. Raising a bed may help some, but there are other factors too. How much sun a certain area gets at any particular time of the year, locations of fences and buildings that can block wind, or channel it, trees or shrubs that provide shelter can all make surprisingly large differences in temperature and moisture in any one area. Large rocks or brick walls that soak up heat during the day can help protect things nearby that might not survive without the added heat. (My glads that make it over winter are right on the south side of my shed, and between a privacy fence and a red flagstone walk.) Just keep an eye on your yard to see where the wind and rain are likely to go, and when youÂre working outside be aware of the different temperatures you feel in different locations. Your plants are feeling it too. It doesnÂt take long to get a "feel" for what might do well where. I have two remote thermometers in my back yard. One is right on the north side of my house where it doesnÂt get any sun at all, and the other is in the branches of an upright juniper on the sunny side of the yard. ItÂs in a white one-gallon pot to be sure the sun never directly hits it (IÂm sure at the swap everybody is going to be wondering why I have a gallon pot stuck in my tree!) I find it quite amazing how much difference there can be between the two sides of the yard. Sometimes when itÂs insufferably HOT on the sunny side, it can be quite comfortable and nice on the shady side. The receivers areÂconvenientlyÂinside the house so I donÂt need to go out in the rain or blizzard to know what the temp is. I got the first one at Radio Shack, and have bought others at Ace and BigLots (for $10Âone time deal) since then. I have receivers up in my bedroom too, so I can see what the temp is in the morning when I get up if I want toÂor in the middle of the nite if IÂm worried about something freezing in the fall. Only problem is that in winter you need to be sure the transmitters donÂt get buried in the snow or they transmit the temp of the snowÂexactly 32 degreesÂand not the air temp! That happened to me once andÂduhÂit took me three days to figure out why the temperature never changed at all! So I dug my transmitter out of a snow drift and it worked fine again! I hope to get a wireless weather station some time, but thatÂs probably a year or two away. TheyÂre expensive! YouÂre very observant and love to learn, and IÂm guessing that by next summer youÂre going to know every micro-climate in your yard, Skybird

Hi tn_veggie_gardner - If the area was only growing wildflowers and not any noxious grasses or plants that are hard to get rid of, I would just fill it in with some compost. Hopefully you have some kind of compost facility around your area where you can get a truckload for cheap. You also could put down a layer of plastic (much like landscape fabric) before filling in the bed. But if you don't mind doing some weeding for the first year, I wouldn't use anything - but just fill er in! Here is a link that might be useful: BsnTech Gardening Blog

As to peas on a trellis, the peas will weave themselves through the terrace. So once you get a foot or so off the ground, both sides are being used, no matter where they're coming out of the ground. But sure. Plant on both sides if you want. Mulch has two benefits. One, it prevents soil splashing, but the other is that is reduces watering needs, which might splash that soil in the first place. And yes, I agree about not underplanting. That's not mulch, because it's using water and nutrients. I would stay away from large-chunk/chipped bark mulch, however. It doesn't degrade in a timely way, and by the end of the season, you probably won't be able to dig it in. Use mulch that is well shredded that will compose in situ in the course of the season.