Martha said:
We rented a bobcat front end loader to dig out and dump gravel in for our retaining wall.
You mean Bobcats & power augers have practical applications? Doesn't that take all the fun out of them?!?
Wab, you should meet my FIL. He thinks nothing of populating an entire acre from a single plug of zoysia that he digs out of the highway median and waters by hand. You just have to be patient and give it time to grow so that you can keep splitting the root bundle... It's the Borg gardening method. All will be assimilated and resistance is futile.
He's also a big proponent of "highway landscaping". If you see it thriving on the interstate medians without care or feeding then it'll probably do well in your yard.
90% of your results will derive from good advance planning. (Or you could wing it and enjoy a multi-decade work in progress.) Almost every local university has an agricultural extension with website advice on customizing your plans for your local area/climate. And many communities have xeriscape gardens to show you how to eliminate your water bill. Our local one gives away trees on Arbor Day, complete with planting & care assistance. Home Depot (despite the bad experiences others have had) gives classes on installing PVC fences or building decks. Their staff can teach you a lot in an hour.
If you're really a hardcore DIY'er then you could pay a landscaper up front for the plans. But tell them you're not in a hurry for results. One issue that landscapers don't discuss with customers is how long it'll take to get "the look". If you're willing to wait 5-10 years for full growth then you'll have a landscape that looks pretty bare for the first few years. Many landscapers opt for quick-growing plants that make the customers happy when the job is finished, but they're a curse when it comes to maintenance.
DIY plans for decks & recreation structures are all over the Internet. And a wonderful reference is provided by Family Handiman magazine... search their articles online through your library's database and then borrow those specific issues for the plans & parts lists. Heck, we subscribe just to read the "Goofs" section. Not that I've ever contributed to that...
I'm intrigued by Trex's synthetic decking materials. I'm not sure that I'd ever again build a deck with real wood. But I haven't built a deck this decade and there may be better methods & products.
If you're dealing with a bare plot of land and not xeriscaping then I'd take a long, hard look at gray-water irrigation systems. They basically use sink water (no sewage) with a filter and an underground distribution system to water your grass from below the surface. They may be more flexible now but when I first discovered them (San Diego, late '90s) they were only intended to be installed during new construction. If you decide to go with conventional sprinklers then I'd look at a Ditch Witch or a mechanical system that pulls flexible piping directly through the ground. Or, considering the size of the project, you may want to pay a landscaper to install the sprinklers & plumbing. If I had a chance to re-do our yard I'd bury all the sprinkler piping at least 18" deep with the expensive gear-driven sprinkler heads.
Our sideyard came largely landscaped but we've spent a lot of time killing the perimeter grass, mulching around the shrubbery, and putting in artificial borders. The lawn is now a kidney shape (no corners or angles) that can be mowed in about 10 minutes and trimmed in two. The mulch has nearly eliminated our weeding. Having spent five years with the shrubbery, I'd happily eliminate all the palm trees that make seeds. I also wouldn't plant bougainvillea anywhere that it'd get water because then I'd have to prune it.
Our backyard is on a steep slope and it's a weedwhacker's nightmare. If you have a sloped lot and don't want to run a mower up & down it then I'd use erosion-resistant ground cover.
I love mango, pineapple, papaya, tangerine, macadamia, lychee, starfruit, & guava. But I hate having to take care of the trees/plants (and the rodents). Decide who's going to do the maintenance before you plant the fruit.
Are you lighting the outdoors? I wouldn't waste my time stringing 12V systems when you can buy cheap PV/LED landscape lights. Ours charge during the day and softly light the sidewalk & perimeter as late as 5 AM. Zero maintenance, move them anytime/anywhere, and no more accidentally cutting the wiring.
Do you need outdoor storage for your Bobcat or other yard equipment? You'll have to consider portable structures vs pouring a foundation & building your own. Family Handiman again.
You may want to set aside a large chunk of the yard for a garden. Our tomatoes are just fruiting and we're starting peppers & cucumbers. I used to pooh-pooh gardens because I didn't want to can veggies, but freezing may work just as well. With tomatoes over $1/pound this project is paying for itself pretty quickly.
If you enjoy TV, try to catch an episode of HGTV's "Ground Breakers". They use Bobcats in ways that the rest of us can only fantasize about...