Hi Rachel, You never said how deep your beds were, could you post a pic ??? I don't have any issues with my raised beds, all different heights and concrete... maybe no Nitrogen, maybe too much water... a pic would help... sorry ;-)

Looks like a fun project! This is the type of work we do all the time! Although we don't work in the Northwest, our knowledge of proper paver, patio & structure (pergolas) installation should suffice. The overall design looks great. There are a few SOLID pointers to building anything outside. 1. Solid foundation or footings. This goes for both the pergola & the paver or concrete patio. The pegolas structures usually needs a large footer (at least 18' x 18' wide, and usually 18' to 24' deep). This will ensure the new structure is solide. The pavers & patios should also have a good foundation, which we call the BASE. A well prepared paver base should be 6' of ABC (engineered backfill) - this ABC is usually crushed rock, granite or stone, and contains many sizes of aggreggate (not dirt) - this BASE is compacted firmly, and if done deep enough, should keep ALL your patios from settling over time. Here is some information on how we do our pavers - directly from my company website - Patio Pavers Concrete patios usually don't get this sub-base prep work, but if you are looking for a long term project, or concrete that won't crack - it's worth doing a 4' sub-base preparation for any concrete areas. Sometimes, we actually lay pavers over concrete - this is not the most cost effective way for new paver installation, but it's a great REMODEL tip. I noticed some asphalt areas there - pavers should be able to go directly over the top (with using some sand to get them to drain away from the house) 2. DRAINAGE - you've mentioned french drain, and you are on the right track of thinking. Proper drainage is KEY for a long term patio & landscaping project solution. Getting water away from the foundation of your house & pergola is very important! French drains are a great way to spread water and rid water over a long pipe run, for patios, it's all about getting water out into your grass area - it can dissappate from there... The patio beds up against the house will make a nice 'softening' of the house with some color & plant texture, just be sure you don't create a way for water to enter back under the house. Make sure your roof doesn't drain into these planters, and if it does - you'll need some guttering to push water away from the foundation. OVERALL - you should be able to see some of our pergola & patio cover pictures on my company site. I've found a few issues when building free-standing pergolas. 1. It will need SOME sort of block or foundation around the base of each column. Just having it sit on a footer tends to not help with the 'wobbly-ness' of the new structure. 2. Normal framing SIMPSON brackets are fine. The local home depot can supply many of these T-braces, lag screws, etc.... You should be able to see some of our Pergola construction techniques here. Otherwise, visit our landscape portfolio PERGOLA page on the same site. Lots of individual pics. Let me know if you have any other questions or concerns - i may be able to post some construction diagrams of our pergolas, if you'll find that useful? Here is a link that might be useful: UNIQUE LANDSCAPES Homepage

I will be installing concrete pavers over an existing concrete sidewalk. Walkway is 3 feet wide. I've purchased enough pavers for the job but had to buy a complete pallet and 2 rows. This is what I have: (57) 3x3 (178) 6x6 (169) 6x9 (40) 6x12 Anyone know of a pattern generator for these sizes or a site that might show a pattern?

On the front elevation I'd get rid of the gable over the garage. All it does is lead your eye to the garage and detract from the main body of the house. It's not a feature. The other thing I'd do is insist on them not doing the pork chop returns. Your house has a historical feel to it and that just screams contemporary mass builder.Below the red arrows point to the pork chop returns. Lastly on the rear, you have one window that isn't consistent with the rest of the windows. The one with the arched top. I'd change it to a transom window top to match the other transom windows. BTW: What is above the window I changed? That's a large blank wall on the exterior.