I'm new and just found this great forum :)

Hello. My name is Stacey and I just recently joined YardShare. So far, I have seen beautiful yards that give me hope for my own :) My family and I live in a ranch-style home with a long and somewhat narrow backyard. The previous owner had planted many different plants, but neglected it, so there was much overgrowth before I began tackling "The Jungle", as I like to call it. The soil is very rich from years of leaves blanketing the surface, so that is good. The pictures I have posted thus far make the yard seem sad. There is no real patio for entertaining, or relaxing. I would love to have a beautiful, functional backyard that caters to children, entertaining and serenity. Any suggestions will be most appreciated.

For my yard I dug a small pond to encourage the flying, swimming, and hopping creatures. Kids always had fun with that. I set up a swing set, trampoline, fire pit, tent,and pool. One year I let the grass grow in the back, and cut a circular path through it. It led to a playhouse in the middle. I have also grown corn and sunflowers to create a *house* for the kids to hide in. I left open areas for the kids to run and toss whatever.