Thank you for the above replies. Bullthistle, I enjoyed reading the link you attached. Laceyvail, I was told by a neighbor that we are considered Zone 4, a cooler zone than the map indicates, because of the strong lake winds. The sun shines on the area I described through most of the day, but will be slightly dappled when the trees get their leaves. It will be our first season there to really observe, as last year was all about siting and building the house. I need to landscape my entire front yard. Picture large stone retaining walls flanking a flat, grassy area with a stone path coming down the center. That's all there is right now. I was unable to get good pictures last weekend because we had driving rains throughout the time we were there. In the meantime, I thought I could get started on that little piece, but I will try the perrenials forum for that, as you suggest. Thanks again for reaching out to help a beginner!

I think the advice to live with it before doing anything is generally a good idea. That said if it is something I find I can't stand the look of that opinion rarely changes for me and would be a reason for me to remove it. I find it an eyesore and no matter the function I couldn't handle seeing that thing every day I came home and I'm generally a function over form when making choices in design. However those choices still consider how something will look. For the house I don't know how much you want to spend, but I'm going to throw ideas out for someone who has a nice budget. If you want more of a modern look I'd replace both the garage door and front door to something with a more modern look. I'd remove the shutters and I'd also consider putting in new and taller windows on the gable end - this assumes that is feasible in the interior rooms as well. Removing bricks to enlarge windows is something that can be done more easily than the other way around. I'd also work on changing the landscaping to a more modern look

Agree with the suggestion that you should install camera(s), perhaps on the fascia of your boathouse. As I understand it, there are solar powered and motion sensor kinds available. A row of trees that will give you privacy where you want it and block the view of your property from the road -- that your neighbor cannot see through, such as cedar trees -- will be the opposite of what your neighbor that cut your tree would like. Just be sure you don't plant trees in a right of way -- road or utility -- or they'll be chopped back (not a good look) or chopped down. Know your property lines and know any easements on /across your property. Don't plant anything you will later find to be "in the way" for your intended uses of the property. Unless it is against some building code or whatever, do put a fence on the two sides of your property and start a green fence to your liking inside that -- perhaps shrubs that bloom and/or keep their leaves year round. Then keep your property mowed/maintained so no neighbor will have anything resembling a good reason to trespass. The sharp leaves of a holly bush or holly tree can discourage trespassers but can also stick your own family members. A locked gate or even just a pair of metal posts with a metal cable (locked) across your driveway to prevent vehicles from entering could discourage trespassers and make it less likely your neighbor could successfully hire someone to enter on your property to do any "landscaping". If your land could be entered with a vehicle from any point alongside the road other than your driveway, posts and cable there would be worth considering. Again, do get a copy of any survey on record for your property showing its boundaries and easements from the county courthouse. Find out what the road right of way is for your community. Have a survey of the property prepared if there isn't one. This is a reasonable expense to protect your family's investment. Once you can document your property lines, seriously consider talking with a lawyer about sending the offending neighbor a cease and desist letter to stop the trespassing. Your neighbor sounds like one of those people that, " if you give them an inch, they'll take a mile" so you do want to take steps to define and take back control of you land; otherwise, any work you do to restore the wooded lot or to make it what you want it to be could well be wasted. floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK I'm certainly not a pro on the subject of growing things but I do know that after the neighbor's goats destroyed my rose bushes, each of which had been planted above a 2' deep hole of well fertilized top soil, the oak tree that came up where one of the rose bushes had been that we let grow actually grew twice as fast as another volunteer about a dozen feet away in native soil ... in large part Georgia red clay with a not very deep layer of top soil over it. With that head start, it is still the larger of the two oaks trees.

Some thoughts on two projects: One: What is the most practical path from the point of origin at the house to get to your dock -- the path you now use ? Would that path begin at the corner of the house closest to the yard toys -- either a straight or curved path -- until you get to the toys and then from the toys beyond them to the dock? That walk path is where you should begin to create dirt steps about 4'-6' wide by using railroad ties strategically placed across the path as temporary small retaining walls to create level or gently sloping "steps" between the rail road ties -- digging to throw dirt above or below the railroad ties as needed. As you walk, you might take two or three steps on each dirt step you create. As you use the dirt steps you can see what steps work best and what steps need to be adjusted before you invest in blocks or stone for more permanent retaining walls for your grass covered dirt steps). Two: you might consider putting a retaining wall all along the lower point of the yard where you usually cease to mow -- below the hill. Literally dig a deep ditch for a footing/foundation along that line above which you cannot safely mow. You could then put rebar in place and have concrete poured into the ditch (BEFORE before you remove the dirt from below the ditch/concrete wall so the sides of the ditch can serve as a form for your retaining wall) -- before you throw any that dirt from below the ditch to above it. Once your poured concrete has set up, you can add a bock wall atop it, then begin to remove the dirt from below the concrete retaining wall to above the concrete retaining wall, adding other layers of concrete blocks to the wall as you are able to reach it from either above or below until you've achieved a reasonably level area both above and below the wall. You could then face the poured concrete with stone or brick if you choose.. DO make sure the bottom of the ditch you dig is lower that the ground level you want for the lower flatter area below the poured concrete retaining wall.. A ditch dug with a back hoe or other equipment will be wider that what you might dig by hand and take more concrete to fill but with the wider concrete wall you're pouring, you're building strength into your retaining wall. Do post some after pics to show us what you've done.