Suntan answers:

You have many options from free software to very expensive software.
3D Home Architect Landscape is considered to be a good program.

Http://www.3dhaonline.com/home_landscape_suite_v9.htm

These next two sites give reviews of landscape software.

Http://landscaping-software-review.toptenreviews.com/

http://www.the-landscape-design-site.com/landscapesoftware.html

There is free like google sketch up and BHG.

Http://sketchup.google.com/

http://www.bhg.com/gardening/landscaping-projects/landscape-basics/using-landscape-design-software/

Here is review of other free versions of software.
Http://www.ehow.com/how_4747352_landscape-design-software.html

Suntan answers:

I do my own landscaping and would be happy to advise you. Please click on my icon and e-mail me. Photos would be helpful.

What state and zone do you live in?

Full shade, partial shade, partial sun, full sun?

Do you want hardscaping (boulders, etc.) as well as softscaping?

Do you want flowering or nonflowering shrubs? Evergreen or not?

Do you want xeriscaping (native plants) or are you OK with watering every few days?

Suntan answers:

There is so much to tell i don’t know where to start other than to tell you what i would tell a client, call at least ten landscapers any ten from the yellow pages, ask them to come by and do a landscaping plan, or plot it’s called sometimes, have each one come to your house, and they should be able to draw you a visual of what they would do and give you a plant list then google images of each plant species to see what they look like figure out what you like then go with that ‘scaper and if they’re too expensive you can call up your local nursery and order those plants go pick them up and install your self.

A really great magazing/site that is great for do it yourself ideas is http://www.gardengatemagazine.com/ they give a free magazine so you can see if you like it and it’s not expensive, like a dollar an issue.

Covering the ivy with thick black plastic will work. Personally i’d use
4layers of newspaper with 2 contractor bags staked in the ground over the paper the paper will add nourishment and the plastic will choke the ivy and any weeds that might spring up to replace it, unfortunately you have to give at least a half season for the plastic to work, but since you have lots of plant hunting to do you have that time.

Also, doing a full landscape can be expensive, it’s taken me 5 years to completely landscape our yard because i am very picky and have expensive tastes.

Tree suggestion- try a dwarf variety they grow slow so won’t get too big for your britches, my faves are dwarf weeping cherry or a dwarf hinoki cyprus depending on your style pref. They are both easy and will love that sunny looking corner.

Suntan answers:

Landscaping design:

http://justgardeners.com/hrsc/articles/art_landscape-design.html

Just Gardeners contains a gallery of forum users’s own garden pictures such as this one which features Azaleas, Rhododendrons & a Magnolia:

http://justgardeners.com/hrsc/ourgardens/ourgarden_pages/ourgardens_cornus.html

Lilac with spring flowers:

http://justgardeners.com/hrsc/ourgardens/ourgarden_pages/ourgardens_gardengirl.html

Hardy Roses, Helleborus, & Tree Peonies:

http://justgardeners.com/hrsc/ourgardens/ourgarden_pages/ourgardens_gdngfool.html

Landscaping Plans from HGTV:

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_landscaping_design/

Here’s a free interactive landscaping website from Better Homes & Gardens.

Http://www.bhg.com/bhg/story.jsp?storyid=/templatedata/bhg/story/data/planagardenhome_03022002.xml

Garden Plans (click on a plan under features):

http://www.bhg.com/bhg/category.jsp?categoryid=/templatedata/bhg/category/data/gardenplans.xml&ordersrc=google4garden_plans&cobrandId=ww5&s_kwcid=ContentNetwork|699492622

Nice Japanese Maples:

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/rm_home_ext_before_after/article/0,1797,HGTV_3731_5617844_03,00.html

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/rm_home_ext_before_after/article/0,1797,HGTV_3731_5617844_05,00.html

Edging Ideas:

http://www.bhg.com/app/sharemy/photoDetails.jsp?photoId=48500001&fromSearch=true

Links to “Do it yourself ” resources for Landscaping, gardening, trees & shrubs:

http://www.hometime.com/projects/landgrdn.htm

http://www.hometime.com/Howto/projects/landgardn/land_1.htm

A video about low maintenance perennials:

http://video.yahoo.com/watch/946018

Perennial garden that takes care of itself:

http://www.backyardgardener.com/pren/pren2.html

Easy-care perennial rock garden, plus links to kitchen gardens, wildflower gardens,etc:

http://www.bbg.org/gar2/topics/design/2006sp_rockgarden.html

Hardscaping:

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gardening/

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/pac_ctnt_988/text/0,,HGTV_22056_60415,00.html

More hardscaping:

http://www.taunton.com/finegardening/pages/g00201.asp

BBC Gardening- Virtual Design

http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/design/virtualgarden_index.shtml

DIY Planner

http://www.curbly.com/DIY-Maven/posts/1496-FREE-On-Line-Garden-Planner

Meditation Garden

http://www.cacradicalgrace.org/resources/garden_plan.html

Country Gardens

http://www.cg-designs.net/design-process.htm

http://www.arcadiagardendesign.biz/garden_design_case_studies.htm

Garden design winners

http://landliving.com/articles/0000000139.aspx

Small Landscaping Plans

http://www.addis-gardendesign.co.uk/gallery.htm

These sites has suggestions for landscaping & choosing shrubs:

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/chatham/ag/homehort/homeorn.html

http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/4DMG/Trees/Shrubs/smshrubs.htm

This video shows how evergreens combine with shrubs & perennials;Shredded bark used as mulch:

http://hcs.osu.edu/plantfacts/movies/largeWMF.lasso?-Search=Action&-Table=input&-Database=movieindex&-KeyValue=871

Use of hardscaping to compliment plant foliage & texture:

http://hcs.osu.edu/plantfacts/movies/largeWMF.lasso?-Search=Action&-Table=input&-Database=movieindex&-KeyValue=611

Good luck! Hope this helps.

Suntan answers:

I use a program “3D Landscape” by ‘Books That Work’, but there are several similar programs. Most such programs require you to enter some basic details like dimensions and relative height, and they’ll render a basic property plot that you can drop in plants, fences and the like. The more effort you spend on entry, the better the result usually.

EBay has programs from $1 to $15 (most plus shipping), but I would suggest you
(a) go to your local library and see what they have, usually you can use such software as part of your normal media checkout ($0)
(b) ask your friends & family, one or more may have a program that they’ll just give you ($0)
(c) check in your area for discount, salvage and electronics stores; many will have racks of software programs ($1-5)

An alternative is to use a photo manipulation program, like PhotoShop Elements ($100), IrfanView ($0) or whatever. Take a digital photo of your house/property and then use the graphics program to plop in plants, fences etc.

Good luck!

Suntan answers:

The image viewer in your computer is set to display images in actual size at 100%. Normally, since the camera’s resolution is usually higher than todays monitors, you would set the graphics viewer to display pictures at a “Fit to Page” or “Fit to Window” setting so you can see the whole picture. On the menu at the top of the screen, just click View-Fit to (whichever).

Your husband did not stop at fiddling with the camera. He got his foolish fingers working hard too at the computer obviously.