Hi everyone, new member here. Love the website and the creativity everyone has. So here is my dilemma, my yard has quite a few spots that I want to redo. I will be researching the creative ideas on here and helping where I can as well. So most importantly now I had a deck replaced and the old beat up landscaping around it was partially covered up, dug up etc... I was looking for some creative opinions on what do to around the deck. I am a good laborer but not totally creative. I would like low maintenance, stone or something maybe a few perennials or something. As you can see in the pictures I have 2 giant boulders partially above ground which are going no where! Cost is a slight concern, I am open to suggestion. Also thinking about maybe a river rock border around the deck and foundation to eliminate grass and weed growth??? Any ideas people would like to share would be greatly appreciated!

One of those boulders, the one coming diagonally into the foreground, might make a nice foundation for a rock garden, which might also serve to delineate different areas of the yard (e.g. herb garden and children's playground).
In the soft part, I would put a few - maybe three - tall, narrow conifers like these
https://lejardinetdesigns.com/...
with several different interesting variegated and/or flowering shrubs in between.
https://savvygardening.com/low...
These could be pruned at or just above the level of the railing, so as not to obstruct your view.
At the barbeque end, some hostas, rhubarb or yucca.
That's all low-maintenance, long lasting plant life that looks both attractive and interesting. (Have your ever seen a rhubarb bloom? Brief, but spectacular.)
If you wanted to get fancier, a few containers with annual climbing plants on the deck itself, or trailing plants in long boxes on the railing, would look very nice.
PS I don't know your climate; guessing Zone 5-6?
It's helpful to put your location in your profile.

Those are some good recommendations thanks. I am in growing zone 6A. Would you mulch around the plantings or use river rock etc? Trying to make it look rustic and keep it low maintenance. The weeds in the area are awful!

Liberal use of black garden fabric, covered by bark should do the trick. Wood shavings, if you have a sawmill nearby - cheaper, maybe even free. It will look silver next year. For creeping grass, I would also consider sinking a flexible plastic weed barrier at the outside edge.
Pretty exciting, starting a whole garden from scratch!