We are about done doing stuff to the house for the forseeable future, although we will need to repaint a few roooms. The only thing left that is really a shambles is the yard. I need to do something with the yard this year. The grass is mostly gone, and what is left is the remaining bits of grass, bare dirt, native plants that have volunteered, and moss. There is edging done in white stone that we have hated since we bought the house, and the plantings of cheesy little pine trees are not "us."
At the very least I need a new lawn seeded. That would likely be a band-aid approach, since the enormous oak trees provide us with a ton of shade and the grass really struggles. What I would really like is to hire a landscaper and start over from scratch, but I have no idea how to choose a landscaper and even a vague idea of what that would cost (3k? 5k? 10k? more?). We are talking about a quarter acre lot with a house on it and three large trees, so its not like I have a family compound to deal with. Any suggestions? I am poking around and getting some ideas, but I don't really know where to even start.
If you're in no hurry, then trawl HGTV's website for landscaping suggestions. There's a lot of info to look at but it'll help you decide on preferences.
Is there a community garden within 10-20 miles or a gardening club with master gardeners? They'll know what plants in your area look pretty yet survive with minimal water & care. Like discussion boards, they love pontificating to clueless newbies for free.
If you're starting over, think about infrastructure first-- does the ground freeze hard enough to make it worthwhile to put in sprinklers or underground drainage lines? Any place on the property that's mushy or floods during rain? Is everything graded away from the house and is the basement sealed against seepage? Any trees or plants close enough to cause foundation (root) problems or to fall on the roof or to make squirrel/raccoon highways to the attic? Any water/sewer/gas/electrical conduits that might be suffering from tree roots chewing into them? Any septic systems or wells that need pumping or primping before the landscaping goes in? Do you want to put in any patios or decks or retaining walls or sidewalks or paths or privacy walls/fences or pergolas or gazebos or awnings or underground wiring/lighting or storage sheds or bomb shelters? Is there any project around the house that needs construction equipment which might have to destroy your yard while driving through it? Any playground equipment or tree houses to put in before the rest of the yard?
If you want to keep the trees, now would be a good time to have them assessed & pruned-- especially if they're going to want to drive trucks on the property to do it. If they're near electric lines then the utility company might coordinate with you.
If your lawn is really shady, what about laying down heavy-duty landscaping cloth and covering it with huge mulch beds? You could add little gardens or flower patches or even raised beds for accents or projects. Deer & rabbits might be an issue with the growing stuff, but the mulch will look good without having to mow or weed. Mulch around here is free from the city's green waste disposal.
If you haven't seen it lately, take a look at artificial grass. Seriously. The stuff ain't Astroturf and it's far more durable yet lifelike than you'd expect. You can lay out places that are safe for play (or for putting greens) without having to deal with pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, or any other maintenance. It's not because you're lazy, it's for the kids' safety.
If you do decide to plant the yard then the ground prep is worth the trouble & expense (more of that master gardener advice). I've watched This Old House crews start by rototilling the entire yard to break up the clay, getting rid of some of the surface tree roots, and adding all the soil amendments to give it a fresh start. Usually it rains for three days in the middle of the rototilling...