Old walkway was made of grass and tapered. I agree, I like it to be uniform width and yes, curved. Our plan is to replace the brick with concrete in the spring so we don't want want to use brick for this pathway - maybe flagstone as it was suggested? Do you use landscape edging with flagstone if I use grass or another ground cover as the "filler?" What about if we used decomposed granite? I like this look - http://www.greenerimagelandscaping.net/flagstonewalk.html Think it suits this space? How about this - http://www.flickr.com/photos/sinnickel/4544138134/ Wonder which is easier to lay out and then to keep up... And you are correct - relationships are far more important than landscaping which is why I'm struggling with the pros/cons of the situation. Steps are crumbling behind containers on steps which is why these containers are there. I didn't want anyone to walk on the crumbling parts anymore - steps to be replaced in the spring and containers removed at that time! (maybe nice/more plants in them would help until then though?) Yes - trellis/arbor posts are the gate posts and not changeable - even adding 2 more posts is out of the question. (I originally wanted 4 but they nixed that idea...) Karin - I'm intrigued with the string idea. So you are saying to put string from the other posts on the ends to the tip of both sides of the trellis/arbor? (note there will eventually be caps on the post next to the house and the one on the corner - just an fyi). Do you think cutting the crossbar so it isn't 12 inches wide would help? And then maybe putting it up not as high up above the gate? Another idea many have suggested is altering the gate but I'm not sure how hard that is for the guys to fix so I'd have to look more into that. There are 2 strap hinges but they covered part of the top one w/ the board across the top. We don't have a handle or latch on it yet but it will be on there soon - maybe that will help? deviant-deziner - as mentioned above, I agree it is too wide - the bars across the top are 2x4's so maybe 6" is more proportional vs. the 12" it currently is? Would you take off the end stacks? Where did you get yours premade? We looked around but didn't have much luck hence me having him make it... I'd love to see your entire fence - it looks beautiful!

I think it's the case that you're as easily able to create good aesthetics without the fence, as you are with it. Adding it means paying attention to another set of design considerations. People do things all the time thinking that they are creating more beauty, when in fact, they are creating more ugliness, and sometimes an expensive clean-up process. Not saying that would be the case here, but just noting that it's always a possibility, since we can't know how you'd do every detail, and ultimately that's what would matter. Having dogs that spend time in the yard is a commonplace situation. Mostly, they are either relegated to the back yard where the tall fencing is permitted, or they are able to be kept in the front yard by 4' fencing. I don't think the city or the neighborhood in general, will agree that having a special breed of dogs that can't be contained in the front yard by 4' height fencing, is worth granting a variance for. Security for the occupants of the house is a separate matter. Not having any idea of the crime trends of your neighborhood, can't begin to predict if you can make a good enough case for additional security fencing. But maybe you can. Every so often, general ways of doing things change and it all starts with a single case that sets precedent. In the early 70s, it was not common for fathers to be allowed in the delivery room while their child was being born. That they are allowed and expected to be there is now the rule. Even if you end up not being able to get a variance for fencing, there are other ways of addressing the privacy issue. Governments as a rule don't seem to have any objection to your creating privacy with plants, thus the use of tall trimmed hedges where someone doesn't want the outside world looking. You probably already know that there is a non-refundable fee assessed for seeking a variance and a hearing. Check to see what it is in order to figure out if it would be worth it to you if the variance was not granted. I've acquired a few variances along the way, every one for which I applied, but in each case they were based on need such that the homeowner would either needlessly suffer a hardship if the variance wasn't granted, and/or they would inadvertently cause other people (neighbors) problems if forced to comply with the regular rules. The variances were for front yard parking.

Forgot to add... I first used a dark brown fence with my red brick house I used to own. Now we have a painted white brick house with grey trim color, and the dark brown looks great here too. (We don’t actually have a lot of fence with my white house, but we have a very large retaining wall for our driveway with a small fenced area)

It’s the norm here to put up property gates and fencing. I live in British Columbia. Canada. The fence is another issue…. The style of fence is the big topic of discussion at home. The house would not be hidden from view if we put a solid 4-5ft fence as the road is higher than the house.We also have a 6ft deep ditch in front of the property where the grass is you can’t see it for the pic.