Do you have a budget range in mind for this phase? Are the decorative objects, chairs etc. your choices or inherited from the renters?

In order to make constructive suggestions, a better idea of how you want to use the yard would be helpful.

What is currently there that you like or would want to keep and what would you prefer to not have: (deck? fire pit? hedge or vine-covered fence? various trees and other plants? etc.)

Think about your wishes and needs. For instance, how do you plan to use the yard? Do you have kids that want to kick around a soccer ball? Do you host large or small parties and have need for seating and space for folks to walk around? Do you have time to spend in gardening or would you prefer having something low maintenance? Would you like a paved patio or a hot tub? Do you need to add or access storage? Is it just somewhere to sit and relax?

Martha: NHB says it clearly. Start with a wishlist from each member of the household - no wish to be omitted from the collection - all to find their way to the master plan.

You should base your plan on the engineer's plat, which came with your purchase agreement, or can be found at the County HQ. This is very accurate layout of the legal boundaries, your home, and may show all the utilities, both above and below ground. Add to it all the outdoor meters, electric outlets, lights, hose bibs, etc. It may also show topographic information, which is especially important for a site as level as yours appears to be. [I can instruct you how to do your own topo survey, if you contact me (cascio.offsite@gmail.com)]

You will use the above to develop a master plan, which includes all possible wishes in a workable relationship, some on top of others, which are then reflected in staged site plans.

The initial site plan will be based upon your current family needs, i.e., preschool kids will need activity areas, such as a sand box, a raised vegetable garden to work in, a driveway gate (maybe just sawhorses) to protect tricycle activity on the driveway, etc., all based on current available budget.

The next site plan will deal with kids in grammar school, with the sandbox disappearing, the basketball hoop appearing, the needs for entertaining business guests for your growing company at home, rather than at an expensive restaurant, the mother-in-law moving into the room over the garage. You get the idea.

Keep it simple, but thoroughly thought out. It will constantly change as your needs change, but laying one need over a future one will insure that future changes will not occur where expensive investments have been made.

Analyze first, then plan.

Thanks for asking for our advice.

Joe Cascio

the bamboo:

To manage bamboo it helps to be able to ID it, or short of that, at least find out if it is a running variety or a clumping variety (this can be easily determined by digging and exposing a length of horizontal root). You might also find out in the digging that someone has already installed root barriers around the bamboo, or not, and this will factor into your cost/labor estimates.

Here's a link to start! https://lewisbamboo.com/clumping-vs-running-bamboo/

To my eye it looks like the fence covered in ivy (is it ivy?) might be more labor intensive to tame back than the bamboo, though! Did you want to keep or rid of the ivy?

Hi Joe, great advice. Thanks for your help. I hadn't thought about looking at the engineer's plat. I'll definitely do that. I live alone. My children are grown with no kids of their own--yet. I would like to plan some for future grandkids though. I would also like to have a raised vegetable garden. I'm just not sure if I get enough sun. There is a spot where previous owners had a compost pile that might get enough sun. (It doesn't show on any of the pictures I sent. Thanks,

Martha

To answer a few questions and comments. I don't really have a budget for the project. I'm semi-retired on a fixed budget. I'd like to do a little at a time. I have some people who can do most of the heavy lifting for me at a reasonable price.

I like the fire pit and the vine covered fence. The chairs are my own, but they don't necessarily need to stay. I don't want to make any big changes--just work with what I have. I'd like to figure out a way to have another seating area in the clearing where the bamboo is. I don't want a hot tub and have a deck that is not in the picture. I guess it should be pretty low maintenance. Thanks for the advice.

Martha

If you are looking for low maintenance, I'd remove (or even give away) the rock circle around the fire pit. Rocks used as borders lend themselves to messiness as weeds/grass grow up among them and the rocks get knocked or kicked out of their spots. Been there, done that. Got rid of all my rocks.

Thru the years, I have discovered that (to me) my yard and gardens look best when they are neat. Rocks are not neat.

Start by bringing in all the decorative items and put them on the deck. After taking a close look at their condition, save the best ones and discard the worn and faded ones. Bring in your pots to the deck, too, for scrubbing up now and for planting in spring. A cluster of pots on a deck has a lot more impact than a scattering around a big backyard. An ideal place for the pots is within eyeshot of your kitchen window.

Bring the chairs in to surround the fire pit. If you have leftover beige deck paint, you can probably use it on the chairs. Then add new cushions when they appear in garden centers.

When you have heavy lifters available, ask them to remove one bamboo shoot at a time - fill up one trash can per visit. In a few weeks, you'll have some space to move your newly painted chair(s) to make your new seating area.

If you have an edger, have your heavy lifters use it to edge around the rock borders. They can pick up any extra stepping stones and put them in the fire pit circle. As you find more and more of stepping stones, you'll be able to see if you can make a new walkway or semi-paved area. Broken stepping stones should be thrown out. They can't be mended, AFAICT, and they get to be a tripping hazard.

The overgrown ivy is evil. Cut it back to just the part that provides privacy.

No bamboo has roots deeper than 12", so control is not difficult. Dig a slot and slide a metal or plastic barrier 12" high into the dirt around where you want to limit it. Or, dig a trench 12" deep and 12" wide; fill it with leaves. Once a year, go in and chop off all the roots that are growing through the leaves.

Or Roundup.

Sweet Martha

Thought a checklist might help you organize and plan, one for each time your kids come to visit - put them to work to help dear old live-alone Mom. Will your grand kids be saying, "Love you Nana"?

Here's the list:

a) remove the stones around the fire pit and move the fire pit to a less central location, or give it to the kids. You can reuse the pile of gravel at your new terrace or new fire pit spot,

b) take chair out of ivy bed.

c) put bird-feeder where you can enjoy watching birds from inside the house, and where you can refill it without walking in the snow.

d) put your new boyfriend to work.

e) check on Internet for veggies that require only partial sun. Lots of herbs do well in partial shade. Two ways to reduce costs are to grow perennials rather than annuals, and grow from seed, though both are time-consuming, which you may have too much of now.

f) to remove bamboo, you need to dig down and pull it out, less than a foot deep & all connected, so remove all you want removed in one process - should be just a one-day job.

g) decide where you want the bamboo to remain, then buy deep steel edging to install along that edge to contain it. Ask your neighbors if they want to install it on their adjacent property. You might even volunteer to rip out the old and install the edging in their yard, if they purchase the steel edging.

h) follow the apple pie advice.

i) have a happy new year and grab a new beau to hug.

I'm thrilled with all the good advice. I like the idea of moving all the "decorations" to the deck. I have gotten a little carried away at estate sales. I've been planning on moving the rocks around the fire pit to line my front yard flower bed. I'm certainly hoping there are grandkids in my future. They can call me Nana, Grandma, Granny, Grams or whatever they like. I don't see any beaus in my future, but I do have 5 brothers who can help me when they are in town. I have thought of moving the bird feeder closer to the house. (Although, snow is such a rare sight in Dallas I don't have to worry about that.) Good to know a garden is possible even without a lot of sun. You guys are awesome.

Martha