TrailGaiter

Thanks for the ideas! I love the basjoo idea, I wasn't sure how to incorporate them here, was afraid they'd go over the stairs. But when you mentioned planting them 6' away...I thought, perhaps I could plant them on the ends of the deck....(still leaving room to plant something in the corner.) That would work out well, too, considering on the east side of the deck (right side of the pic) there is a rock wall, I couldn't plant anything there that has a large root system that would disturb the wall. The basjoo would be far enough away. Once I get it cleaned up somewhat back there, I'll take a pic for a better perspective! We have a piece of the old deck there yet....which I will recycle somewhere else...I will use that railing somewhere....I don't throw that stuff away! I'm thinking about using it as a "corner piece" in the yard somwhere, and planting some hostas inside it. Or bordering a corner of my strawberry bed.

Hmmm...hadn't considered planting trees in the corner at the stairs....I know hubby would like trees on the west side of the deck, it gets so hot there, he'd like some shade. So I think he'd rather have trees along the side of the deck....fruiting trees would be a neat idea!

The ideas are great, keep them coming!