Thinking

I just have one mostly-shady area back by the back patio to fill in yet near the japanese maples ... not sure what I want there. Thought about some barberry bushes, or maybe some dwarf nandinas. Still thinking. But otherwise, the basic outline is there and things just need time.

Time now to move to the last part - path out the east gate to the driveway, and what to do with the northern side of the house. Right now it's a row of alternating pieris and mock orange. Huge, overgrown, balls wind up in it, bugs and bees in it, don't really like it. The landscape guy that puts in the big stuff like beds and rocks and trees suggested a bed with grave path winding from gate between bed and grass, but gravel + kid's play area are a bad mix. So, he suggested woodchips instead. Thinking about it. Woodchips in the middle play area, grass, more woodchips, bed... or simply woodchips up to the house, keep a picnic table and play next to the house in the shade... not sure yet. Taking out the bushes and making chips certainly is simple, and adds play area. Pea gravel would work too, but I hate how it gets stuck in shoes.

Maybe even just make it a long patio area. Concrete or stone from the existing patio over along the back to the house.

Would be very nice to have a storage shed back there, maybe we can work something like that in, at least big enough for the lawn mower. I got a folding picnic table for the times we have lots of people over.

Probably going to wind up with wood chips just because they're easy, won't hurt anything, and can easily be changed to something else if we like.  Grass doesn't grow there, and I don't know that I want to commit to concrete in such a big space, so ... maybe woodchips.  Maybe a shed. Hope to figure it out pretty soon so that we can do it this year, and have a nice, non-muddy path from the backyard to the driveway before the rains come back.   Then the next phase - in front - can finally begin. The first thing in front will be adding something non-muddy to the side of the driveway so I don't sink in the mud every time I get kids in and out of the car!