Even though there might be a little more bed prep than other plants I would look into bamboo varieties. With the proper prep you can prevent spreading and there are varieties that grow in clumps instead of runners.

Thanks for your feedback, Yardvaark! I looked on our county land records site, and found our lot dimensions (90' x 125') and elevation contours. I can also screenshot an aerial view from April 2017. Is that what you'd recommend to draw out a base plan?

Thanks for your feedback, Lauren! I've never heard that bamboo could be grown in Wisconsin, but that's an interesting solution.

If the county land records site shows the property line and your house footprint, that is all you need to get started. Enlarge it to a known scale. 1"=10', or 1"=8' is good. No larger than 1/4" = 1' (and that requires a large piece of paper, unless you draw electronically.) After enlarging, plot out the existing tree locations and sketch in your patio if it is not already included in the plan. Oila! you have base plan on which to sketch in your ideas (on tracing paper or copies.)

No problem Beth! Here is a helpful website if you are interested in the varieties: http://www.bamboogarden.com/Hardy%20clumping.htm This is the clumping section, Fargesia nitida and Fargesia Rufa both list Zone 5 within their growing range. Good luck though!

I don't know if those bamboo varieties could survive our climate. We had actual air temperatures of -26ºF in January, with wind chills of -40ºF. Maybe they could survive in southern Wisconsin. ;)

Bamboo ... not gonna happen there.

fair enough! That is definitely very, very cold.