For something that may be of use...

Here is a link that might be useful: The Easy Garden

I'm not a believer in "blank slates"

first of all--how do you want to use the area?
play? children? entertain? grow food? have a garden to 'play' ie. work in? or space to wander in? or make an impact or statement? low maintenence? water availability?

second
what are the conditions?
wet, dry, sun, shade?, if sun--when, time of day?, if shade--when?

what are the boundaries like? fenced in? open to views? in need of privacy?

what is the terrain? sloped? flat? in what diredction?

what is the soil like? do you want to work to change it?

what do you have access to? free compost? wood chips? do you have a pickup? or a friend that does?

Eventually, there will likely be a way to "get" your dh to have some pride and interest in the garden. Try some Arisaemas, or carnivores, or .....

etc. etc. etc.

I don't know about his interest, but menacing him with carnivores would certainly get his attention.

The gardens I like best have no grass. They are a collection of planting beds, paths, and useful features like a hard-surfaced area for outdoor eating, or a building with cover for eating and BBQ, benches or swings, water features. Paths can have deep bark, wood chip, gravel, brick, etc surfaces. Beds can be heavily mulched with wood chips and have drip or soaker hoses installed so there is no care. I find that grass is my biggest source of weeds and I am eliminating it slowly. Another thing to consider is that grass naturally browns out in the long dry season here so a bed of drought-tolerant perennials will look much better in summer with less water. I plan for a succession of bloom-
hellebores, Muscari, species tulips, daffodils, Pulmonaria, irises, Anemone nemerosa, groundcover comfrey- Symphytum iberis, Vinca
Daylilies, lilies, roses, hardy geraniums, Phygelius, clematis
Fuchsias, dahlias, Anemones, roses

I also plant a wide variety of fruiting plants. Some good bush ones are blueberries, which come in an evergreen form, and deciduous which have lovely fall color. A plant that makes a large 7' shrub and gets loaded with very healthful fruit, but good cooked rather than raw, is Aronia. Black currants also make very healthful fruit, high in antioxidants. I make gelatin desserts with Aronia and Black currants, and end up with a freezer full after harvest. Apples (esp. Liberty, Lodi, William's Pride) and pears have been my least-disease prone fruit trees.

plantknitter's comments are very good and an excellent place to start. The most attractive gardens and the most successful landscape designs are those that have been given considerable thought to how the garden will be used and from that, how it should be laid out. Many new homeowners and novice gardeners think they want a tree here or a shrub there without giving any thought as to why they do or what that plant would accomplish in that location - it's a bit of putting the cart before the horse. Go through the steps plantknitter outlines first and then make some basic plans on paper. They don't have to be fancy and they needn't even be to scale - just rough circles describing areas that relate to a specific use (and yes, simple planting beds full of color to accent the entry or other areas ARE a specific use, as are areas of lawn).

Consider room for access to various areas, moving equipment or garbage cans and storage, if appropriate. Views that may need to be screened, either because they are unattractive or to provide privacy from the typically all-too-close neighbors. Make patios and pathways generous. Once you have the space broken up and organized to your satisfaction you are ready to proceed. Remember that plants are the finishing touches to a landscape, not necessarily its reason for being.

Both the Northwest Perennial Alliance (.org) and The Garden Conservancy (.org) have scheduled open gardens for their members, so you could check into those organizations to see if there are enough gardens in your area to make it worth joining. Touring exceptional gardens is a great source of inspiration.

What I love about my garden, which is tailored for me and without any concern about outside opinions, are these features:

1. My tiny lawn is flat so it can be mowed with a push mower in minutes (no grass catcher, no gas, no oil, no sparkplug, no fumes).

2. My small garden is hidden behind a hedge because I'm on a corner lot. I have 6 different places to sit -- 3 different tables of various sizes and shapes. I'm never in the public eye on these benches or at these tables even though I'm only a few feet from a sidewalk. I can have coffee in the morning sun and sit in the shade while I look at back-lit canna leaves in the hot afternoon. There is a hammock hidden in the shade in the back for fabulous naps.

3. I have raised beds which bring plants closer to eye level and make me feel enclosed in a terrium-like jungle of big and colorful leaves. As I get older, I like these raised beds more and more! :>

4. I have some paths that are covered with filbert shells and crunch when I walk and other paths covered with a deep layer of bark (bought at the grocery store in bags) that is very very soft to walk on.

5. I have plants all over the garden that attract hummingbirds and feed them year 'round. When I'm watering in the early morning or evening (by hand), I'm often only inches away from a hummingbird.

6. I have evening-scented plants by the back (screened) doors and winter-scented plants by the front door.

7. When I look out my windows, I look into interesting plants -- they have become my view and at this time of year look like paintings of a tropical landscape on one side and a ferny woodland on the other side.

Even though I knew better, 23 years ago I planted several trees too close to my house. It's perfect for my cat who can look out windows and truly get a bird's eye view, but this is going to have to be dealt with.

I planted a Colorado Blue Spruce which can grow up to be the ugliest tree in existence because of spruce aphids and that will have to be dealt with.

You're pretty close to Cistus Nursery on Sauvie Island -- they have a nice garden and a very interesting plant selection.

Congrats on your new house, Yacolt is a nice area.

I sell teapots to the tearoom at Pomeroy Farm. The park on the river near there is gorgeous. Watch for the zebra/horse hybrid as you are driving, I about ran my car off the road. He is at a farm in between the Pomeroy Farm and Poteet's Nursery.

Poteets has a nice selection of plants and reasonable prices.

A few ideas for you. Would you be interested in starting plants from seed? A lot of bling for less money. Starting from seed once you get the hang of it isn't hard. Of course, space and how much time you can put into the plants will help you decide on that question.

Have you looked at the northwest garden exchange? Looks like most of it is going on in Washington State. They seem to be pretty active and know their plants. They might give you some extras if you'll just take them away.

There is also a general seed exchange forum here on garden web as well as forums to exchange alliums, tomatoes, vegetables, etc. I have not done any trading in a while, because I have as much as I can handle, but often, people will just give you seeds for the price of a self addressed stamped envelope.

I've traded or received freebies from people all over this country, and Australia and New Zealand as well.

Another suggestion is to haunt plant nurseries. They'll have stuff on sale they want to get rid of, (now, or very soon), and some of it is really nice.

Any garden societies in your area? People who grow dahlias, roses, rhodies or whatever? You might learn a lot, make new friends and maybe carry a few plants home. I have found gardeners to be so generous with cuttings, seeds, starts.

I don't know Yacolt, so don't know what suggestions to make plant wise.

All the best.

Mary

Yacolt is a few minutes from Battle Ground, a few minutes from Vancouver in SW Washington.

buyorsell888 wrote, "Watch for the zebra/horse hybrid as you are driving"

Yeah, the Zorse. :) It's cool! (Type zorse into Google images.)

I haven't had time to reply to everyone's great ideas yet, but I will. Thanks, all!!

-Katy

Don't run into a tree while you're checking out that zorse! Yacolt is out in the boondocks from Vancouver. Another nice garden you might want to check out for some great landscaping ideas is Collector's Nursery
www.collectorsnursery.com
16804 NE 102nd Ave
Battle Ground, WA 98604
(360) 574-3832
They are open on weekends from 10-3pm- oops, closed in August, so I guess you'll have to wait until September. They have rolling beds of trees, shrubs, and shade plants with curved grass walkways in between, so you can get an idea of what the mature plants will look like and what looks good together.

I did almost wreck when I spotted the zorse. I thought I was crazy until I saw it again on a different day. I slammed on my brakes and there was someone behind me, oops.

Katy- after your humorous crack about your husband getting jittery about having carnivores in the yard, you should see this, I found from Lauraann's post about humor-

Here is a link that might be useful: The Eatable Garden

hemnancy wrote, "Katy- after your humorous crack about your husband getting jittery about having carnivores in the yard..."

That's cute, but it wasn't me who made the 'humorous crack.'

:)

-Katy

When you're working on your general areas, plan for

1. a shed for storage
2. a potting area
3. a compost pile
4. a fairly shady area to put plants in when you first bring them home. (Make sure water is handy and it's in an area where you'll get out there every day to check on those new plants.)

I'd start with these, 'cause then you'll have a place to store all the stuff you'll need and a place to work.

You would be wise to assign one area for 'working' materials like piles of mulch, top soil, sand, wood, gravel, pavers - whatever you'll be buying in bulk. Truck access is a good idea here.

You've time enough this summer to set up a cooking and eating area, too. The more time you spend in the yard, the more ideas you will get.

Many Public Gardens have lots of photos of their gardens on-line where you can get some ideas, but don't forget that your library will have lots of garden design books and magazines (FREE!)

If your yard is flat, consider making some raised areas for a change of pace. If you're doing any digging, you'll have extra soil you can pile up. Or you can start a pile with any organic materials you want to get rid of, and then eventually you'll have a small hill or berm you can edge if you want, and plant.

Tell us more about your family and your yard. You'll get lots of ideas, I'm sure.

Daphne
Tacoma