pls8xx and gardenga148: I completely concur that the project should be broken down into 2 broad areas: (1) Land use/land planning for the overall 70 acres (2) Conversion of a small part to residential use I am still contemplating #1. However, I do believe I have settled on an aspect of overall land use. I believe, basically along or near the nature path, an area of sufficient width and composition to benefit bobwhite quail usage. In the old days, farms had small fields with lots of overgrown fence rows. That habitat was ideal for bobwhite quail. I believe I want to lay out the farm along those parameters (knowing that certain desires/goals compete with others). My research, consultation with my pastor (former horitculturalist and quail plantation manager) and personal experience are leading me to a strip approximately 15 feet wide of lespedeza intermixed with something like switchgrass or one of the other native grasses. I believe I want to combine the "habitat utility" of those or similar plants with a stepped (height and width) variety of native flowering, perennial plants, choosing a variety which is consistent with the wildlife management goal and visual appeal goal. There is a substantial likelihood that I would also break up the 28 acre agricultural field with a couple of cross corridors of similar plant material. These are among the types of things I am struggling with now. Comment on layout, continuity, plant selection and the like are what I am seeking. As each of you have said, this is a huge, long-term project and I seek input from others who's experience may bear on the layout, design and plant selection. I understand there are many, many different "right" and "wrong" ways. However, respecting the opinions of those participating in these forums, I would be interesting in reading your opinions and views and why you have those opinions and views. With respect to what I hoped to achieve with the pond. I like water. I like the ocean, rivers (large and small), lakes and ponds. I like to fish ocassionally but what I REALLY like is to feed the fish. It is very soothing. The pond can be an attractive focal point to the landscape. It can provide the "mirrored" images of the foliage surrounding it. And, if need be, it can provide for some irrigation. I have always liked looking out across the water, of sitting on my porch and looking across the water. I liked the idea of driving down the driveway into the house site and looking at the house across the pond as well. Back to another aspect of the overall land use. We initially intended to put the entire property into a pecan orchard, for both looks and future revenue. However, knowing there are always bad years along with good years with any crop, we decided that was not very smart. We also became interested in muscadine vineyards and fruit production. So, we will probably incorporate a bit of the pecan orchard, vineyard and fruit orchard. We want approximately 1/2 to 1 acre vegetable garden site. I believe we also want a "gardening" experimentation site of approximately 1/2 to 1 acre as well as a small greenhouse. I strongly expect we will leave the remaining oak ridge in mostly an as-is condition for the wildlife usage, but, with some modification to make in more friendly to the turkey and quail. I seem to have rambled a bit and apologize. But, with such a large overall project, it is difficult to include all the desires and keep them organized and coordinated. nandina, with respect to the observation of native flora, existing but possibly hidden features, I will try to do some walking and photographing this weekend. One focal point at the northern most point of the property where you see Potential Well Location, there was an old homeplace there. The shallow well still remains there. I expect to clean that well out and hang a usable well bucket there. An arbor is a possibility there. It could be purely decorative or be a "natural" appearing arbor with cultured muscadine vines so one could sit on a draw a bucket of cool well water, pick a few grapes, sit on a wooden bench, eat the grapes and look out over the landscape. One feature I didn't know about until buying and spending time on the farm is that for whatever reason, it attacts substantially more summer and fall breezes than most areas in the surrounding countryside. Thank you all again for your input and I look forward to more comments, critiques and suggestions. I will attach images of some of the wildflowers or weeds growing in the cut-over areas now.

Sometimes on forums like this, people seem not to post if they have nothing nice to say. If you search the archives you will see that almost no one here has a high opinion of Leylands. Please, spare future generations the same problems you're having now by not planting any more that will just blow over in the next Sandy 30 years later, or decline from disease sooner. It's particularly funny to see attempts at creating an "estate" feeling by surrounding the house w/hideous walls of leylandii, which look particularly comical when a few of them topple over. At the very least, plant Thuja 'Green Giant' instead, it is more disease resistant. And because it grows slower, less likely to outgrow its roots. Among other things - put some spruces and pines in there if you must stick to cheap conifers. A screen planting should have a variety of plants so that if one becomes prone to a disease you don't lose the entire effect. I think hollies are undervalued as screening plants. Nurseries don't push them because they are more expensive to produce as salable plants than most [screening] conifers. You do have to wait longer though, they are definitely slower than leylands. They don't get as much love here because they aren't conifers. Nellie Stevens is ok but the very large growing hybrid I X koehneana would be even more useful for your lot size. Sadly it's almost unavailable in the trade. McLean Nursery in Balto., MD, has small plants for a reasonable price but they don't ship. The grow about 1' a year for the first 5 years, but then speed up to about 2' a year. As people have posted here previously, the real solution to quick screening is to think about what you are really trying to achieve. Are you trying to entirely block the view from anywhere in your yard to anywhere beyond it? Or do you have an area where you sit that you'd like privacy. In that case build a small screened area with some trellis lathes and grow some annual vines on it.

Checking in late to this party. We are in NJ, directly west of NYC in southern Morris County. Here, we experienced brutal, 80+ mph winds Monday night. It was terrifying. Strange, colored "glow" lightening. Huge trees snapping in the woods like gunshots. Power is out. Generator is on. Spotty Internet access. Cell phones and landlines completely down, still. We lost power Monday afternoon at 5pm. We're expected to be without power for up to 3 weeks. Thank goodness for the generator, though! We have coffee, heat, water, and lights. Now the problem seems to be procuring gasoline - exactly zero gas stations are open because they're literally out of gas. We will siphon from our cars as needed to keep the generator running. But we are being super conservative. We haven't ventured out far, because 95% of the roads in my township are currently barricaded from downed trees and power lines. 100% of my town is without power. Compared to the destruction we saw in a 2-mile radius of my house yesterday, we are extremely lucky. We only lost 6 big trees, and thankfully none hit the house or any outbuildings. Our fence is destroyed in many places, but that's nothing. Many of my neighbors did not fare so well. The devastation is unbelievable, and pictures do not convey the sense of loss. I cried when we drove around town. I cannot imagine what those down the shore are feeling right now. Below are a few photos I took of my immediate surroundings and my neighbors. Not as bad as down the shore, but still the worst storm and destruction I have ever personally experienced. We're trying to help in the clean-up efforts around town. It's going to be a long road ahead. Surreal. Here is a link that might be useful: Hurricane Sandy photos - my town

Something about rectangular shapes [of windows] and several together -- fp item with irregular shape [cause it's sculptural] -- adds interest. There'd be another spot for art - the opposite wall where there's nothing right now. Maybe large canvas, and it could have contemporary vibe if it's the thing, the main thing in that area... have at it on a store-bought canvas: you with a color, and him with a color!!! ;-)