and a view from the patio back at the house.

p.s. my fella LIKES the wall

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:43238}}

Hey, Depends on what you like, but I'd try some jasmine climbing up the pergola, Lots of hostas and ferns would work great ant mabe look at some woodland gardens. I need some more shade areas. :o( Oh, Maybe Add some dogwood trees and A fern tree. Go wild.LOL Love the hard scape so far.
Pattie

What I see is flat and square. I would make some curving raised beds around the three un-walled sides. The wall can become part of the framework for the raised beds. You could even create a berm-like rise in the beds if you make them deep enough. (Maybe at the back corners?)

There are many wonderful shade plants that you could use. I like the idea of something climbing the pergola. Other plants you could use besides the hostas and ferns (Southern Maidenhair fern is beautiful, also Japanese Painted fern): Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum Variegata), Carexes (Sparkler and Evergold are lovely.), Arborvitae fern (Selaginella braunii), Hellebores (evergreen and winter blooming), Columbines (Aquilegia), Bletillas (bulbous orchids. very easy.), Spanish hyacinths (bluebells), Phlox divaricata (spring blooming woodland phlox), and Arum Italicum Pictum (bulbs. White variegated winter foliage. They naturalize). These are just a few of the many available. I grow them all and they do well in Zone 7B. Hostas tend to bleach out in our heat by mid summer. I have them under lathe house, they get no competition from trees, and have steady moisture, and still look sad by fall. I love them. I grow them. But they are not easy nor the best for the deep south.

thank you, donna and pattie ... we've got our thinking hats on, and will probably buy a truckload of mulch soon to start defining the beds ... fun fun fun

It looks to me as if the area beyond the trees is a more utilitarian area of the garden? If that is indeed the case, I would do something to capture the eye just beyond the tree trunks. That way, the trees become part of the vignette that includes the pergola. I can imagine bed lines beyond the trees that sweep in swooshing arcs approaching and retreating from the trees. Once you have the bed lines established, you can add in some "structural" taller growing soft evergreens that would keep your eye in the area of the pergola instead of allowing you to view all the way to the back fence. Donnabaskets makes some good specific plant suggestions for things to add after the structural plants are in place. Also, if you plant taller shrubs, plant them far enough inside the beds to allow for more plantings of perennials to view if you walk around to the backside of the beds. You will have created some mystery--crucial to a successful garden and it looks like you might have an opportunity for some plants that would need more sun on the back side of the planting.

Nita