I need help with my backyard design. I want the beautiful Pinterest yard and no dirt drug into the house, my large dog wants a nice soft place to run and lay and watch the ducks at the pond, and our very large Western Cedar just wants to be happy. I had a designer come out to help with some suggestions, and I feel like it did solve the dog issue, and hopefully helped the tree a bit (removed rocks from the new chip area to lighten the load on the tree). That being said, I am not happy with how it looks. It looks like our yard is now split in disjointed thirds. On one side is grass with some new plantings, in the middle is cedar chips and the other side is river rock with a flagstone path to the shed . I was hoping to get some suggestions with how to blend the three areas a bit better so it looks like it has flow vs. hard stops of each surface. The black barrier in the picture is keeping fido off the newly seeded grass for the next 3 weeks.

I would really appreciate any suggestions, however the dog couldn't care less :).
Zone: 8b
North facing yard: The new planting area next to the lawn and under the cedar tree does get afternoon sun
Clay soil being on the acidic side
The planting area is next to the grass so I am assuming it will get decent water when we water the lawn. The tree area would only get watered by hand.
The dog does lay around the base of the tree so I would need something that is pretty forgiving of a large goofy dog.

It's kind of hard to see what it looks like as a whole, can you take a photo of the entire yard in one shot? And also with larger resolution so it can be enlarged and scribbled on? The area will look very different when the shrubs/pantings have time to mature.

I don't understand the function of all those cedar chips and river rock. To keep dirt from being tracked into the house? Okay, that may work, but it's not beautiful; looks like recently demilitarized zones!
The flagstones are a pleasant colour and very nicely laid but that edge is too straight and hard. You can soften it with a few islands of containers, placed near the edge of the path and just off, in irregular clumps of three or four, all different sizes, with plants of different height, colour and texture.
I suppose you could rake the stones and cedar chips across toward each other to blur the margin. The colours are not compatible now, but if the cedar silvers over time, it will look better. Maybe swirl more of the cedar chip in an arc around the clump of vegetation at the foot of that handsome tree. Very nice feature, that; it should be emphasized. And if the clump of vegetation doesn't contain a few hydrangeas or astilbes - something taller and brightly coloured - plant them.
If that light line going from the patch of dark earth planting to the path is more crushed stone, I would either comb cedar chips over it, or make gaps in it for more shrubs, in a line continuing the curve of the bed. A handful of boisterous shrubs with red and yellow foliage would make the place look friendlier.

Frillylily, I can't get a good picture of the whole space with the grass barrier up. I can try to upload larger resolution pictures.

Serpent, I agree, it isn't beautiful. Thank you for the suggestions, I will see what I can do to implement as many of them as I can.

here LadyGriz. Just let me say that I love your big Western Cedar! That is a showstopper for sure.

Are those 5 gallon buckets under the leak of the shed to catch rain water? If so, good for you!

Nothing in nature is in a straight line, therefore that is what your eye is seeing and that is where the problem lies. I would remove the gravel line next to the pavers and soften along the path edges with some Buddleia bushes. They grow fast and will give great color and food for the butterflies. I would put some cottage garden perennials along where you have the new plantings and remove the river rock and keep that same half moon design but bring out the whole thing to look like a crescent moon.

The Cedar chip path needs something to give it definition, but not too much. Mondo grass, Liriope, Snake grass or ferns are some good choices and would soften the path and make it look cohesive.

Your dog has chosen that tree to lie under and I know all about that. We had a wolf dog years ago and he chose a place on the north side of our house and dug it out to lie under. It was good and shady and no matter what I did he continually went back to that place. In other words, it's probably not going to change and I would make it as comfortable and sweet for him as possible. A pack of Camomile seeds or sweet alyssum would do the trick. You can get seeds at The Dollar Tree for 25 cents.

May I also suggest Better Homes & Gardens website bhg.com. They have a garden planner that lets you do a garden layout with all kinds of design elements so you can just click and drag and see what the whole thing will look like and it's free. I believe you can also see what it will look like years from now. It's great fun and will help you get a feel for what you want to do.

can you post a picture of the plan the landscaper used, he or she had a 'map' of sorts, a drawing of what they were doing? It may look like a demilitarized zone as serpent said, because the plants have not had time to fill in and soften lines.

Hi Slowcala,
Thank you! I love your suggestions and appreciate the compliment on our tree. I am starting to get a better visual as to how we can improve the looks of the current design to make me happier. I really appreciate everyone's comments in (no pun intended) walking me down the path. I will definitely check out bhg.com.

Frillylily, thanks for asking about the site plan. The plan was only a sketch and it was for the opposite side of the yard, so it won't really help much. Believe me, this is already an improvement from where it was. When the landscapers were originally finished, they had the grass stopping at a straight line, then the chips stopping at a straight line then the river rock. Once they saw how unhappy I was, they added the planting area next to the grass and softened the chip line.

I'm failing to understand the reasoning behind 3 different kinds of mulch...
Did the architect give any kind of reason for that?
I'm used to keeping things simple with the same mulch everywhere...

I'd at least expect some kind of obvious transition/break between the woodchips and the rock... Whether a patch of lawn or a big sidewalk / patio. Something...

As far as the 2 different mulches with the plastic between them... Nope... Why bother trying to keep them separate? So much simpler to just cover the old mulch with the new... Less dizzy to look at...

I am thinking the reasoning behind the mulch and the gravel is that mulch is more work to keep up with than gravel over time. Putting mulch over the entire area would create a larger amount of upkeep later. Putting the entire area in gravel would not look pleasing-too much. I think they were trying to create visual interest by using different types-texture and colors ect, since you perhaps wanted minimal plantings due to the dogs. Not saying I would have did it this way, but just saying that may be what their ideas were. I would wait a couple of years for the plants to fill in and then look at it then to see how you want to make changes. Another thing to consider is changes in your future. Do you plan on having dogs after these? Maybe smaller dogs? Do you plan on having kids? Maybe you will retire in a few years and need an area to entertain friends more often? ect. If you plan on keeping large dogs long term over the years, I suggest trees, shrubs, maybe create a shade garden with decorative fencing around it so the dogs don't have access-give them their own fenced space.

Stone, when we originally had the designer come out, there was rock completely encircling the tree. We had the standard patchy grass and dirt under the cedar overhang. The designer said the all the rocks were too heavy for the tree and suggested removing half the rocks and adding in the chips. In addition, we took out about 4 feet of the patchy grass. Since it looked horrible when it was first completed, they added in the planting area next to the grass to give us some planting options. The plastic barrier is only staying for the next 2 weeks and is there to keep the dog off the newly seeded grass.
Frillylily, you are partially correct on the why they did the chips. The other part was due to our dog. He runs around like a Tasmanian Devil and his favorite path is right where the chips are. He does love the softness of the chips, and I have to admit they smell wonderful. To answer your other question, we will be retiring soon and do have young grandchildren. There is no great place in our yard for a separate area for the dog. He likes to be outside enjoying the yard and I would like to be able to accommodate him in the overall design.

I just meant to maybe fence off a large portion just for him to have for himself. Like maybe some nice picket fence or metal decorative style, that would look nice, keep him out of the rest and give him his own area. That way you could plant more things, and have more options for your side of the space. That may not work for you though.

Frillylily, ok, I understand now what you are saying. I think it would be a good idea to add some garden fence around the backside of the planting area just to keep him from running directly through it. Thanks for the idea!

Hey! If you still have those extra rocks you removed from under the tree, you can place them beside the flagstone path, over the black crushed stone edging. If they're as white as the one still there, they'd look great. Maybe get some white stone-looking containers to stand next to them.
Just mix things up a bit!

Western red cedars are allelopathic, apparently more so toward grass. Hence the wood chips; rocks are great in Arizona, keeps the winds from blowing the sand so heavily, but I get tired of picking crushed gravel out of the places feet scatter it. Dogs do tend to find and beat a path where they like to run the most often. LUCK!

Hi Serpent. I'm not quite sure what you mean. We don't have any black crushed stone. The rocks we removed from around the tree were the small river rocks. We used them on the opposite side of our yard. I do love the idea of planters, but am struggling a bit on where would be a good place to use them. We put in the flagstone so my husband would have an easier time getting the lawn equipment in and out of the shed. Plus, Fido does run the white fence line when the neighbor dog is out.
Kittriana, yes, our dog definitely likes his normal running paths! I really liked the rocks, they did their job. That being said, if the tree is happier with less weight on it, I'll adjust to the chips.

LadyGriz said: Hi Serpent. I'm not quite sure what you mean. We don't have any black crushed stone.

Yes, I see now. That narrow band of stones alongside the flagstones looks light grey in the first picture and black in the second. (I don't like it much in either picture). OTOH, the flagstones look a warm variegated brown/fawn/grew in the first picture and light silvery grey in the second.
A few nice big lumpy grey rocks would relive the rigidity of all those ruler-straight lines.
I wish I could draw a diagram, but I'll just have to do my best with words.
Along the edge of the flagstones, or right on the edge, put three big planters - cement, light-coloured marble, tufa - anything that resembles one of the true colours in the flagstone and isn't square. Don't measure the distance between them - just wherever they're pleasing. Then, next to each, put another planter of a different shape or height, but the same kind of colour, on the crushed stone. And another one on the flagstone. Next to one of these triads, either side, put a funny-looking rock. (Or not, if you used them someplace else. A gargoyle. A birdbath. It doesn't matter.)
Next to another one, put a little column with a small planter on it. Leave the third one alone. Then put all kinds of different plants - bushy and tall, fluffy and flowering, trailing and sword-leaved - in the planters. See what I mean? Just break up the straight edge and add visual interest, but keep the elegance of the flagstone.
The chips will be fine; they'll weather and blend in better over time. I think they look a lot friendlier than stone, and I'm sure they're easier on Fido's tootsies.

Serpent, thank you! Your description of where and what kind of pots helps me visualize your idea.

Those beautiful landscapes shown online don't happen overnight . A great one evolves and changes over time. I say do a little sit back a while look at it live with it the changes and improvements will come to you. I think your off to a good start. Good luck with your yard

I agree with you it is an odd-looking design. I understand the functional reasons for what the landscaper did, but it's like the aesthetics were an afterthought. And the fact that you say there is no landscape drawing, just a sketch, makes me think that the person you hired is not a landscape designer, maybe just a landscape contractor? A legitimate landscape designer would show you a design on paper and have you approve it before starting any work.

Remove all the gravel, pebbles and stones (bring 'm to the dump or make it someone else's problem), move the lawn more to the middle (but not too much towards the cedar, it'll suffer because of it) and apply woody mulch to the remaining areas for planting.

That'll give you a good base to work from. More planting areas can be created easily later by sacrificing lawn space.