show me your backyard!

[happy1nuv]

we're going to redo our backyard next spring ... so im looking for ideas ... what's in your backyard? what do you like best about it? least? and please post pics if you have any...
tia

[boilermaker]

We live out in the country, so our backyard is technically several acres :)
But right against the house, we recently put in a little patio. It was meant to be just a temporary solution to get us through until we coould afford to do more, but I really like it.

Before
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4ce37b3127cce9cabcf43cb3100000016108AbNGLRi5ZNK

With the patio (we still need to get better steps).
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce31b3127cce94d975e8ded700000016108AbNGLRi5ZNK

We still need to do landscaping around it though.

[1_mommy]

what a bueaqtiful backyard! lots of grass to mow. you must have a riding mower?

[jessied1025]

Here is part of are backyard, it is a standard city lot...maybe a little bigger than normal. The part of the yard cut off by the picture is just grass. We put the deck on last summer and this past summer we did the brick patio and started the landscaping. We are hoping to plant some trees this fall and finish the landscaping next spring.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v519/jessied1025/patio%20-%20landscaping/103_0348.jpg

Good luck with your backyard! :)

[boilermaker]

what a bueaqtiful backyard! lots of grass to mow. you must have a riding mower?

Nope. Just a husband. :)
Actually, for as much as we mow (about 2 acres), we have a commercial sized walk behind that it MUCH quicker than your standard riding lawnmower but cheaper than the commercial riders.

[lil_geek]

This is my parents yard..... the big thing for them was the deck!

http://images.snapfish.com/345365%3A%3B23232%7Ffp46%3Dot%3E2347%3D436%3D349%3 DXROQDF%3E2323%3B969678%3C%3Aot1lsihttp://images.snapfish.com/345365%3A%3B23232%7Ffp45%3Dot%3E2347%3D436%3D349%3 DXROQDF%3E2323%3B96967932ot1lsi

Under the blue canopy (which has been replaced with a current 'gazebo') is a hottub, and the gravel path is interlocking....

The back end of their lot has a border of garden with some bigger trees and such.... this is the only pic I have, but you can get the idea...
http://images.snapfish.com/345365%3A%3B23232%7Ffp58%3Dot%3E2347%3D436%3D349%3 DXROQDF%3E2323%3A486%3A7683ot1lsi

[IrisHope]

Sure, come on over!!

[greenbunny]

Everything you see is the previous owners' stuff...I can tell you what our plans are, though. Our neighborhood is very hilly and so we need to plant things than can handle drought well. We have a lot of shale and rain tends to run down the hill rather than soak in.


Our backyard is fenced, split-rail with chicken wire over top. Around the deck is professionally landscaped. The old dog pen behind the garage we used as a garden this year.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce06b3127cce948a43296cc400000016108AcOWLJuzctN

The jungle gym will be removed. We might put in either a water feature and koi pond, or some kind of bench or swing with an arbor.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4cc32b3127cce9df0e41118ea00000016108AcOWLJuzctN

DH is waving from what will be our raised garden, by the pear trees. We need to rip out a lot of the arborvitae because they are dying or have winter damage:

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4cc32b3127cce9df0e42c99e700000016108AcOWLJuzctN

Along the back here we will plant a variety of decorative grasses and bamboo for privacy. Possibly also some more forsythia, there's some wild between the properties. Down the hill to the right we will plant fruit trees for food and privacy (though privacy isn't an issue anymore thanks to the neighbor's two-story garage).

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4cc32b3127cce9df0e1a758c600000016108AcOWLJuzctN

[mobox]

Anyone have any pictures of hilly or multi-level backyards?

[fuzzy]

We're out in the country too:

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4db05b3127cce9cedc2149b8f00000016108Abt2TZo2aNJ

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4db05b3127cce9cedc2151abe00000016108Abt2TZo2aNJ

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4db05b3127cce9cedc2129b8900000016108Abt2TZo2aNJ

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4db05b3127cce9cedc2109b8b00000016108Abt2TZo2aNJ

[Tanya]

Here's our backyard, we're sorta out in the country, too. We're on 2 acres.
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d934b3127cce929a48e2040800000016108AatGzdo5YtW
Fountain/drainage system:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d934b3127cce929a34ee043a00000016108AatGzdo5YtW
And here's 2 pics of the crazy unkempt, overgrown backyard when we moved in:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5da30b3127cce914f5974a31300000016108AatGzdo5YtW
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5da30b3127cce914f467862b800000016108AatGzdo5YtW

[kathywathy]

Photo of our backyard. Well not for long, we close on Nov 7th. The yard was a big reason we bought the house.

http://gallery.kathyandjoe.com/albums/april-2004/april_2004_p4290198.sized.jpg

[chefker]

We have a backyard that is terraced in one spot, hilly in another, and flat in another area. Our total acreage is 1.77 acres.

the hilly part, looking out from patio:

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4d806b3127cce9fb9f31a577c00000026108AZtWbNk0ctO

flatter part (the stone wall is the foundation to a barn that used to be on the property):

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4d806b3127cce9fb9f306576000000026108AZtWbNk0ctO

another view from patio--below & to the left of the gazing ball is the terraced area, there are steps going down to that left of that also:

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4d806b3127cce9fb9f31bd64d00000026108AZtWbNk0ctO

opposite view of the steps/terraced area, taken from poolside:

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4d730b3127cce9fb9f3895b3400000025138AZtWbNk0ctO

[PinkMartini]

Bumping up for more ideas

We have to turn in a 'landscape plan' to our HOA before we can start construction on our lot so we need some ideas.