Hello everyone! I've been searching for a gardening community that I can grow into (get it?) and found this one. I love that it's region specific, and if anyone is up for the task, I could really use some help. I don't really know much about gardening, save for pruning my trees when they become annoying. I don't even know what plants are in my backyard, just that they need some serious help, and I think most of them are some type of rose. I took some pictures, and will definitely take more if anyone needs me to. I'd like to know where I should start, what's beyond help, and what might not belong where it is. Everything's kind of as it was when we bought the house two years ago. Incoming!

The main part of the yard overall.

Underneath some stairs in the yard.

Close-up #1 from left to right of beneath the stairs.

Close-up #2 from left to right of beneath the stairs.

Close-up #3 from left to right of beneath the stairs.

Close-up #4 from left to right of beneath the stairs.

A bush at the back of the yard. (Bees like it. Lavender?)

Close-up of the bush.

The back fence riddled with ivy (?) and blackberry vines.

Back-back yard #1.

Back-back yard #2.

Some nearly-shredded, buried plastic stuff beneath the corner filled with bark dust remnants.

The side of the yard.

Close-up of the side yard bushes, from right to left #1.

Close-up of the side yard bushes, from right to left #2.

Close-up of the side yard bushes, from right to left #3.

The grass/moss/dirt mix that the yard is comprised of.

So.. do we kill it all and start over? The bark dust corner is an issue for the sod we planned on. The rest is up in the air. Thank you so much ahead of time if you've made it this far, and for any help you might be able to give!

Edited by Michelle - Apr-17-2010 at 5:11pm

Well Michelle, how do you feel about chemical herbicides?

The roses under the steps might be worth saving if you like them, but the rest of the plants could stand a severe pruning (like with a gas trimmer with a sharp blade) followed by a drenching with Round Up mixed with Cross Bow when the ivy and blackberries start to sprout. Not organic I know, but this yard needs an intervention.

The moss layer on what appears to be a filled in yard, notice the apparent drop into the neighbors back yard, tells me that no drainage was provided in the fill. I'd really suggest replacing the fill but would at least add a couple yards of crushed rock (not 3/4 minus!!!) to get some drainage.

I'm a tiller kind of guy and would do a deep tillage of all the area you can get to, incorporating the crushed rock I mentioned as well as a few (4 or 5) cubic yards of compost. If you can rent a garden tractor with a tiller and maneuver it in the area (looks possible) that's how I like to do it. In the real world I'd use a Merry Tiller and stir the amendments in that way.

Collect and store the rocks until you've gotten to the "implement the plan" stage (you have a plan?). Remove all the landscape fabric, it's just a scam to sell stuff.Mulch works much better to keep down weeds.

My choice would be to do all the "intervention", then look at the empty yard and imagine the possibilities. In this specific case: what will the use of the yard be? If it's out of the way and seldom used (as appears to be the situation from it's current state) maybe a no maintenance, only go there to keep the blackberries down and trim the ivy approach would be best.

There's my two cents!

Tom

Edited by tommyb - Apr-18-2010 at 8:02am