Wow you've done a lot of work! Pics can be misleading but part of the reason the lawn died out could be lack of enough sunlight, in addition to competition for water from the big tree(s). Looks like a nice clean slate!

Sorry, no idea what your tree might be. In the spring it should be easier, when it has new leaves, maybe flowers.

Thanks! The work will be never-ending, I'm sure. The neighbors a few houses over also have an old sweetgum, but they somehow manage to keep grass growing. Since we want this to be a mostly edible landscape with wildflowers to draw pollenators, grass isn't a huge priority except for a small spot for our old dog to rest when she's outdoors.

I'm trying to draw out a rough plan for the yard but it's been a real hassle trying to decide where I want things to go, especially since I have no idea how much sun we'll get over the summer months. Also hoping there will be enough sun to keep wildflowers happy beneath the sweetgum too.

Also, would there be any way to move this to the landscape design forum? I'm wondering if I put this in the wrong spot!

You can't move it, but you can copy/paste it. I would advise you to read some of the discussions over there so you are mentally prepared for some of the responses you might get. There are some strong passions over there but no doubt a wealth of great info and suggestions.

The CL fence is an awesome support for any kind of vines you might like there, from morning glories to veggies. Coupled with the fact that each post is set in concrete, that may have tipped the scale in favor of leaving it. I would consider it a great asset.

Our dog really loves laying in leaf piles. That might be an option so you don't have to devote valuable sunny space to dog resting if you don't really want to.

There are some awesome no-lawn pics in a discussion on the cottage forum, if you're interested.

The best way to get started is what you've already done. Take stock of what's there, get rid of that which you don't want/find ugly, and try to get a vision in your mind's eye of what you'd like to see out there...

Thanks! I guess leaf piles wouldn't be a bad option, though we'd prefer to use those for compost ;)

Now I'm debating whether I should just move it to edible landscaping instead...HMMMMm!

Yeah, there just aren't enough leaves to go around!! When I lived in OH, I would just grab as many bags of other people's leaves as I wanted but nobody bags them here. Wouldn't hurt to post to both of those forums. All of them are slower while it's cold out, as you may already know, and this particular forum is always pretty slow... Some of the regional forums are kind of active, others covered in dust. You might want to say what state you're in next to your zone. 8b AL would be totally different than 8b in WA or CA...

I was thinking about that 165gallon pond... You might want to make it above grade for two reasons - having an edge to sit on thankfully while trailing your fingers; and not having to hack through a bazillion tree roots to install it. You may need to think about either a leaf net or a cover for autumn when the leaves come down in bulk. I have a pool cover of wire netting over mine - to keep out the swamp hens and hedgehogs - and it also catches most of the trees' leaves as well.

I agree about the chain link fence - and it does seem to have attractive uprights. However - can you easily get behind it to weed? Or are you going to pay the 'fibro price' for pulling and tugging in an awkward position?

Thinking of bee-friendly plants for dappled light - forget-me-not (Myosotis)is great in spring (and an oh dear! if your dog has a long coat but they are easily combed out), Dicentra, Heuchera, Hosta, Clematis - which could do well in one of the lower trees, Prunella. And the simpler forms of Dahlia are much-visited, as are Buddleias.

My old dog was always fond of shady 'scrapes' under shrubs or ornamental grasses. Or the middle of the Iris innominata...:-( The wooden decking was popular, too.

If you find your tree roots rapidly colonising any garden beds you make you may have to either make raised beds with a barrier layer and above ground drainage points - or move to container growing. They might be why your yard has hungry sandy soil and weeds.

The tree looks a bit like a birch of some kind. (Secondary guess would be a flowering cherry.)