How big is the property? We started with a fairly ordinary 1/4 acre lot in a 1960s era subdivision. We were lucky to have a mature green ash, two middle-aged white pines and a juvenile red oak, with a decrepit shed in the middle near the back (chainlink) fence. Other than that it was just grass. We started gardening under the pines and then from the back fence towards the oak. When we did that side of the yard, then we clearly needed to do the other side too! And it just grew until now there is just a rectangle of lawn in the center and everything else is a woodland garden threaded through with paths.

I took a CAD course this winter - I did these drawings of our property for an exercise in the course. The first one shows just the layout of the beds and paths for the whole property. The second shows trees and shrubs added.
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These pictures aren't the greatest but shows what some parts of it looked like a few days ago.

From the patio looking towards the rear of the property:

From the end of the north alley looking SW across the lawn:

From in front of the shed, looking towards the SW corner:

Looking down the center path through the beds under the oak:
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We started the garden in 2000. We arrived at it's current layout largely by trial and error. If I was starting from scratch now, I'd start by defining what area would remain as lawn (and other functional spaces like patio, veggie garden - we didn't have enough light back there for veggies..., utility areas etc.) and what was available to become garden. Make the lawn a clearly defined shape rather than just a residual uninteresting shape. Look at the regular traffic patterns in the yard - what routes do you travel to get from one place to another? Designate those areas as paths. The garden beds then become the spaces between the paths. (If you look at the first diagram, the paths are what shape the beds, not vice versa...) Once you have the general layout determined, then you can start making the beds and planting them piece by piece as time, energy and $ permits. While we did it by trial and error, starting with a plan is the more sensible approach :-)

Our front garden is in full sun and is quite different than the backyard. But it is the cool and serene 'green garden' (green and white are the dominant colors) that is the calm green heart of the garden.

Agree - I feel like I have a woodland cottage garden in my yard. We live in a suburban neighbourhood that used to be cottage country. 50 years ago, they didn't have fences, but used trees to delineate the boundaries. So right now, I have 7 mature maples down one side of the yard, 2 on the other side and 2 along the back. We also have an ash along the back and another tree that I haven't yet identified. When we moved in, I planted a Eastern Redbud along the back too.

This year, I'm considering putting in a Thornless Honeylocust and Red Buckeye to start bringing the trees into the yard.

My yard isn't a full acre, so I'm dealing with a standard 60x120 lot. But Woodyoak - your layout is amazing!!!! I'm slowly convincing DH that we don't need a full lawn of grass and expanding the beds every year until we get to a woodland yard....Only issue is my galumping dog that just this year understood that the grass is for him.....so I can't take too much away....

My biggest current thought is to do a woodland corner (depending on the size of your yard). So almost 2 rows - but not really - on the diagonal of trees and understory trees/shrubs with a pine bark path running between and lots of shady characters in there. I'm trying to convince a friend to turn the back corner of her blank yard into a complete woodland. Time will tell if it works :)

greenthumb - I think lawn is important for several reasons.

Think of it as the glade in the center of the woodland...

Also, the lawn, especially a shaped one like our rectangular one, balances the more chaotic look of the plantings. The 'formal' lawn makes the woodland areas look wilder I think while providing a sense of order. So each enhances the other.

We have a dog (small one) and regularly dog-sit a variety of (mostly large) dogs for friends, neighbours and family. The lawn provides play space but what the dogs really love is the paths! The layout of the paths was partly determined by the needs of the dogs. Perimeter patrol is a big need for dogs and you can see that the paths allow them to patrol the main fencelines. By putting paths alonge the fences, you protect the plantings from being trampled by the dogs. Some of the other paths also follow the dogs' (and people's) main routes to other areas of the garden, particularly down past the shed/compost area. The path network also forms nested 'running tracks' which the dogs will run/chase each other on for exercise. The dogs never run through the garden beds, preferring to literally take the path of least resistance! With the garden's current layout I'm able to have the garden and dogs peacefully coexist.

greenthumb - I think lawn is important for several reasons.

Think of it as the glade in the center of the woodland...

Also, the lawn, especially a shaped one like our rectangular one, balances the more chaotic look of the plantings. The 'formal' lawn makes the woodland areas look wilder I think while providing a sense of order. So each enhances the other.

We have a dog (small one) and regularly dog-sit a variety of (mostly large) dogs for friends, neighbours and family. The lawn provides play space but what the dogs really love is the paths! The layout of the paths was partly determined by the needs of the dogs. Perimeter patrol is a big need for dogs and you can see that the paths allow them to patrol the main fencelines. By putting paths alonge the fences, you protect the plantings from being trampled by the dogs. Some of the other paths also follow the dogs' (and people's) main routes to other areas of the garden, particularly down past the shed/compost area. The path network also forms nested 'running tracks' which the dogs will run/chase each other on for exercise. The dogs never run through the garden beds, preferring to literally take the path of least resistance! With the garden's current layout I'm able to have the garden and dogs peacefully coexist.

Ack! Sorry for the double post! I should know by now not to hit 'refresh' when I come back to the computer after being away for awhile...

greenthumb - where abouts in Ont. are you?

I'm just north of Newmarket.......I agree and wasn't planning on getting rid of the backyard, but more to reduce it. We moved in and there was no plant material.....just lawn and beds and a depression in the soil where an above ground pool once stood. The house was a repossession and the family that lived here removed all the plants they could. The only plants I inherited were 2 hostas, lily of the valley and daylilies (my guess is they left before they had come up. We still have A LOT of lawn....it takes me a full hour and a bit to mow the front and back lawns...so I have no worries about removing too much lawn.... I'm putting trees and shrubs in because I know the next door neighbour is removing some of theirs (again they used to be the boundary line and then they built a fence RIGHT against them....so they are all tipped) and I want to regain my privacy.....

BTW I wouldn't dare put paths for the dogs along the fence....LOL one of my fences is about to come down because the dogs rush it everytime both sets are outside. My neighbours have two 110lb american bulldogs and my brute is a 71lb mongrel and the poor fence :) But the paths I'm putting in are going to be the routes walked most frequently.....

I'll bet your beast makes one or more paths to/along the fences whether you want it there or not!

That's what the hose is for and the roses and the barbery....but yeah......LOL It's not for the other dogs anymore though. It's when there is a squirrel running along the fence that he goes bananas and forgets his manners :)

Thanks for all your thoughts - you have given me some good ideas to think about.

Woodyoak - our lot is about 1/4 of an acre also - I will try to get some pictures taken in the next few days and post them for additional suggestions.

Thanks!