I've taken some more pictures just now and added them to the others. The 2nd floor windows bother me most because when I stand at my kitchen sink area and look out the window, I am actually looking almost directly into those windows. They are pretty far away but it bugs me considerably. I don't want to look in someone else's windows and feel creepy that that is where my eye is drawn. I can't actually see in them though - it's more a nuissance that the only thing I see when I look out the window is someone else's window. This was probably my first concern because it's a year round problem. The biggest privacy concern is actually my closest neighbour's window that I face when I step out onto my patio (more of a 3 season problem). The last picture is what I see when I step out of my kitchen onto the patio. I have been thinking about building an open lattice-like screen to go between the bbq (in the foreground but not visible) and the fence. I would then have something grow up and cover the screen. My concerns with this are that I don't want to block all sunlight from my neighbour's window and I don't want to inundate them with a really strong fragrance. Also, I'm not sure what the guidelines are for planting things close to a bbq. My main goals with a screen there would be to serve as a backdrop to the bbq and to block off the window (and the a/c unit), not to serve as fuel for a fire. The bbq should stay in that area because that is where the natural gas hookup is located. We've lived in this house for a few yrs now and this yard does nothing for me. I always feel on display whenever I'm outside and I am actually really uncomfortable being out in our backyard. The advice we received when we first moved in was to wait a growing season before doing anything. At the beginning of the second summer, we trucked in 5 yards of dirt and put in the shapeless bed along the wooden privacy fence and a bed that is too small around the patio. The patio has always been on our list of things to replace so I didn't want to put too much effort or planting material into a temporary bed. The soil around the patio is also better quality so it was easier to dig that bed. The chain link fence was put in after we moved in (our neighbours have a dog). It doesn't bother me as much as the other areas. I find it unobtrusive and the dog has never been a problem. It would be nice to have something of interest along that fence because when we sit at our kitchen table the chain link fence is more visible than the wooden fence.

I would center the garden area with chicken coop on the backside of the pool. Make a wider grand entrance and transition possibly using an arbor. The way you show it to the side does not balance. If possible I would put the shed along a wall on the back of the house convenient for the pool suppplies. I would place all gardening tools in an area back with the chickens as this will be closer for gardening as well. Best wishes!

There's a lot we can't tell in so few snippets of scenes, but a couple of considerations are showing up. That the air conditioner compressor is at the right of the deck, maybe near it is not a good place. I don't think listening to it while in the hot tub would seem all that relaxing. The yard at the left of the deck seems a bit larger and that side of the house seems to have few windows. It might have more potential for expansion of the outdoor living space and placement of the hot tub. It would be a matter of working out, in plan view, the size and arrangement that you're after.

The table is perfect where it is. If you move it in front of the door, you'll stop the excellent traffic flow in and out from the door to the lawn and all around.