It doesn't even smell good back there, does it. After removing the eyecatching mulch, what you need is a bed full of evergreen groundcovers and bulbs. When the groundcover plants have covered the ground, in a couple years, add perennial herbs and other fragrant plants, Keeping the annuals in containers, where they will not disurb the complete cover of the bed. Then add the bench with colorful cushions beside them. And turn on some tunes. Enjoy.

It is all relative to the entire property, the house and the yard. Is this a part of the pedestrian circulation or a seating area? Are there utilities adjacent, is it in the front yard and viewed by neighbors, or part of your private space. Is it viewed from the dining/living rooms or just from the bedrooms. Will it be used by tricycles or just feet (no golf shoes please). In my experience, (don't you hate it when someone starts off a sentence in which he offers advice with that phrase), the mondo grass is too large for any pedestrian pavement. There are a large variety of more prostrate plants you can walk on at your garden center, I expect. Some can be walked on daily, and others less often. Some are evergreen, some have attractive flowers, some are into more gray or smoky colors than just green. You can mix them up, just as you do with groundcovers in your plant beds. Enjoy!

I read a lot about synthetic turfs and decided to not go for it . Planning to level up use grass pavers and go with real grass rather. Just FYI here as someone else might find it useful. I found this video after weeks of research ! Of course in YouTube and Google. I was alarmed at the effects that prolonged exposure to these kinds of materials can cause to our children and our community. I wanted to bring this to your attention so you would be aware of the side effects if you were planning for synthetic turf in any of the school areas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEVeAmqHTSM https://www.center4research.org/children-athletes-play-toxic-turf-playgrounds/ We r still going to use HDPE type paver plastic underneath but covered by real grass and pebbles ! . still a much greener option and life time is minimum 20 years plus made from r cycled plastic. Looking at cirtex or turf grid pavers.

So I ve gone with grey pebbles next to the mulch and mixed white/grey round next to it, under the window. Am going to have a flower bed in the tree ring and a lawn where u see the loose soil. Does this look ok for now ? 1) I ll put pavers later here as the shop is out of paving sand. I can go dark gray pavers here but would oatmeal or cream look out of place (check 4 th pic ) ? Considering its next to red brick, mulch and neighbor s oatmeal driveway ? 2) I can get 600 *300 pavers. 3) As for plants, I am doing more in the backyard where i get a lot of sun. In the front, I ve got a succulent rockery, murraya hedges, tree flower ring. Could u recommend some bushy, shade loving plants I could use in pots next to the window ? Thanks.