The stream with vegetation that was absent in earlier times due to a failure to understand natural world.
People seem to enjoy my landscaping ideas for the most part. I tend to think “out of the box.” The stream that flows across my back yard was in a bad condition when I purchased the place in the later part of the 1980 decade. I could easily step across with little effort. The top of the water was approximately six inches from the top of the yard making for easy flooding problems.
The dock for dipping hot feet.
I carried and place many rocks and added them within the stream itself and I,also, lined the banks with them. The results were quick. The waters begin naturalizing. The width increased substantially and the depth did too. I planted mostly natural flowers and plants. I added trees and shrubs here and there. Today the stream looks like something one might see in the forest or a park. I have great-blue herons and green herons stopping by for minnows. I see kingfishers flying through. Frogs are about. And I occasionally see water snakes! (Laurie doesn’t care for them.)
Another area has lush Pachysandra growth with a meandering trail.
The meandering trail.
The gazebo.
The gazebo area has a stone trail surrounded by flowers, etc. The rabbits and chipmunks are common here. My mother and new step-father were married in the gazebo last August of 2009.
My brass light with its natural tarnished-patina. That is the way I want it so don’t be offering to polish it!
My intent with my landscaping is to create habitat for wildlife as well as to beautify my yard. I keep a count and to date I have identified 56 birds either on of flying over my place; 15 various mammals and 6 reptiles and/or amphibians. Hope you enjoy the photos.
The stone bench.
The wheel along the rail fence.
Other landscaping thoughts that materilized is the rail fence with an old wagon wheel against it. (Another rail fence is planned for the back yard since I transferred over 15 tons of materials to make some huge raised beds.)
side deck steps
Fern among some weathered posts.
Another stream view.
Larry A. Smail's Blog 
hi larry such a nice job you did on your back yard i am in awe when some one can take ground and make a picture perfect place of it as you have done.. beautiful is there nothing you cant do i bet not… shirley
Shirley,
Thank you…