We recently lost our detatched storage unit/garage (previously a garage, but cinder-blocked-in by previous owners) to a garbage truck that ran into it. The unit was about 20' x 20' and we have since demolished it because of it being a liability and unsalvageable after the incident.

We are a month+ into the process, but waiting on insurance to come up with a $$ figure to figure out what we can/should do with the space. It was unusable as a garage to us (due to the enterance being cinder-blocked), and although building a garage may be good for resale value, would prefer to go simple as far as potential parking in the space (or maybe no parking). We are used to parking on the street and in an open space that was next to the storage/garage.

We are in a busier location (i.e. there is a restaurant / parking lot behind our lot) and have lost much of our privacy with the garage gone, so we need something to take it's place to provide privacy. There are likely fence height restrictions that we need to keep in mind, but figure we can do some sort of inward-slanted tall pergola that will go over the length of the back of our lot -- providing a place for vines to grow and creating an alcove of sorts for privacy. We live in a historic area of our city, so I'd like the design more organic / old / vintage / historic looking. I.e. old brick patio area, wall fountains to mask noise (restaurant noise behind the house), bocce ball court, wild-looking plants.

The fence around the backyard is relatively new (replaced by previous owners), so replacing all of it isn't an option (and I think that is wasteful), but staining or removing/replacing portions of it is an option.

Any thoughts? I think we may need a landscape architect eventually, but thought I'd ask on here :-)

**The space in question (in the pics) is about 23' x 60'