Hi Lynn! If I sat on your deck looking toward the back, what view would I see? If I looked out your back windows what would I see? Your new landscaping should enhance those views.

Do you need a shade tree near the patio?

Hi Cecily,
Thanks for checking in. Here’s a “looking out” photo. Two of the bedrooms are at the back of the house and have that view. One is to the left and one is to the right. Thanks!

We have patio umbrellas for when we are sitting so I do t think we need a shade tree. Good idea though!

Nice. I wouldn't put anything along the back fence...it's nearly invisible...no need to draw attention. I like the shade tree idea...get something flowering.

Nice garden beds near the patio? Flowers, perennials? A kitchen garden. Yes. On both sides. Sunflowers, corn stalks, create a living display. Isn't that always of interest? I love when hummingbirds and butterflies come to my garden.

Thank you tracefloyd!

Keep the view corridor open. Do you need any privacy screening from the sides... some plantings or trelllis? Concentrate on the sides of the patio. A firepit is nice.

The sound of water would be fantastic in the semi-enclosed patio...get a water feature there. And big planter boxes and pots. String lights. Uplights.

A Japanese Maple surrounded by ferns with a little bench and with uplights into the foliage and stepping stones through the lawn from the patio....path lights.

Inspo photos

All great suggestions! .I’ve actually been thinking about a water feature. Will definitely have to see what’s out there. You’ve given me some excellent ideas to start Ruth-thank you!!

I would want shade--leafy shade from trees--not just for the patio but for the house too. A large shade tree some distance from the house, smaller trees closer to the patio. The hottest sun of the day is the southwest/western sun in summer, so site your trees appropriately.

You have nice plantings in the front - use some of those same plants in the back. I see other houses in the background so I wonder if increased privacy is one of your goals. You can achieve this with the use of small ornamental trees (I think I see one of those in the front) placed strategically.

What are those tall brown things?

Tracefloyd your inspo pics didn’t open before but I love them-thank you! Especially that last one with the water urn!

Laceyvail-thank you for the suggestions! We left a house on 2acres and now we are on .5 ac so I think I’ve been cautious about giving up usable land to trees but if I hate the yard what good is any of it right?

Littlebug- thank you for suggesting that. I was trying to avoid the typical privacy trees. In the front I just have a hydrangea tree and weeping cherry. The tall brown things on the patio are gas heaters for when we are out there in the evening.

Omg that’s amazing! Thank you SO much!!I can’t wait to share with my husband!

So I showed my husband and he was equally impressed-and somehow zeroed in on the tv’s!! LOL
Thank you again-this is great!

Actually I was thinking weatherproof art--but TV's could work too.

What?!?! I’ve never heard of weatherproof art!!!!

@simplynatural can you tell me what software you used? I’d love to be able to do that.

@Lynn2235, I use Microsoft's freebie Paint to do this. That's generic image creating/editing software; it's not specific to landscape design. Essentially, I'm creating a picture out of pieces of other pictures (or drawing in elements myself). That takes a LOT of time and patience and practice, and an eye for scale, lighting, color, shade and shadows. Nothing is pre-made and just dropped in. But I can get results that, to my eyes, are more realistic, softer and more subtle, than any landscape design software that I have seen.

Unless you want to invest that kind of time, software that's meant for landscape design, that comes with premade elements (plants, hardscape, furniture), would probably serve you better. I have no experience with these products (other than a quick try occasionally), so I can't make recommendations.

What you did is amazing and I’m so very grateful to you for your time, patience and expertise! We were originally looking for something very basic and just against the house but we like what you did so much we are reconsidering our plans. Thank you so very much. We are so appreciative!

Glad to help; enjoy making a beautiful place to be!

@Kathryn thank you.

Kathryn Devenish is a spammer. Please flag her comment. Thanks.

Lynn your patio is a busy space with lots of furniture which is great because it shows that your family enjoys spending time there. Simplynatural's rendering includes plantings along the length of the patio which would prevent the action from spilling out onto the lawn and makes the patio space seem smaller. Also that rendering includes taller shrubs that would block your view while seated and again make the space feel smaller. I'd use shrubs close to the house (evergreen for winter interest) then keep the plantings knee high or shorter along the patio.

I like the idea of planting a couple of small flowering trees (dogwoods or redbuds) along the back fenceline.

@cecily thank you! I really appreciate you weighing in. The only thing we came up with was tall grasses on either end of the house with a mixture of plain and variegated hostas. We have plantings (dappled willow, Daylillies and spirea) on the other side of the fence in order to preserve useable lawn space. We also seem to be getting some wild tiger lillies which are pretty. Any suggestions besides maiden grass and hostas would be appreciated!

I went to flag Kathryn’s comments but they were already gone!

If you are promoting your employer’s designs, you ARE a spammer.

I'm concerned because you're in zone 5 and I don't see any evergreens to catch the snow and give you something interesting to look at in winter. If you don't have deer troubles, consider yews beside your home.

We don’t have deer trouble because we’re fenced in. Here’s the view from the patio.

Deer can jump a six foot fence if you plant things they really like ;) Since your backyard's a clean slate they haven't had a need to visit. If the yews are by the house they should be safe. Plants that are deer candy (like hostas and daylilies) may not be a good idea in the back yard.

There are lots of deer resistant perennials you could use. Are bees a problem for your family (bee sting allergy or bee phobia)?

To deer, that fence is about the equivalent of a six inch curb. During a 'closed' winter, when there is snow cover for many weeks, deer search out *everything* that is green and above the snow line. They will find yews.

I see some evergreens in the front, though I agree I'd put in more.

The humans are okay but we are protective of our dog because she doesn’t respond well to bee stings.

To cut back on light pollution please minimize uplights for Landscape lighting. (image from David K. Warfel's blog 'The Language of Light"

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Choose any shade trees keeping in mind how deep of shade you would like. Sugar Maples produce DENSE shade, it is difficult to get any other plants to grow underneath them. River Birches allow dappled sunlight below their more open crowns.

Thank you Mary!

Okay, here's a list (in no particular order) of my favorite deer resistant short shrubs & perennials that don't attract many bees: hydrangea Tuff Stuff, bird's nest spruce, juniper Blue Pacific, peonies, bearded iris, siberian iris, artemesia Powis Castle, bergenia, dianthus, hellebores, ferns, chrysanthemums

Wow this is great!! I’ll check them all out. Thank you so much!