You know,it only my nature dreaming
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I read on the other site that you want to down play the lattice. That can be done with evergreen foundation bushes. Osmanthus gets tall quickly, stays green (2 types-one with holly like leaves and one with oval leaves) and has a wonderful scent. As it grows it can be trimmed out at the bottom like a tree. It will grow in your area. Then you can play with the area in the front of the foundation bed with smaller shrubs and flowers. Please don't plant Bradford pear trees--they are weak wood and large branches split off easily in ice and wind storms--then they look awful. Dogwoods, maples, cherries and some evergreen trees would all look great. Idea Share's tree is somewhat the shape of a Japanese Maple and could be incorporated in your foundation planting. There are great landscaping books at the public library and big hardware box stores that show specimen plants--roses, flowering shrubs etc. And give landscaping plans that you can adjust to your wants and needs. Start studying and researching!

Your link below:

KarinL

Here is a link that might be useful: other site with photos

I think I agree with FrankieLynn that reading a landscaping book or two would probably be a good start, especially as it's winter and you can't do much actual planting anyway, and your local nurseries won't have any good stock available yet either.

You need an overall idea of what you want to accomplish before you start picking plants... make shade here, privacy there, flower bed wherever. It doesn't have to be a detailed plan, and some people (me) have been known to buy plants first, then figure out where to put them, but you usually end up killing 40% of them and moving the other 60% at least once.

Trees have to start somewhat puny unless you have them planted by someone driving a loader over your lawn. Try lifting one in even a 5-gal pot and you'll probably like puny trees a lot better :-)

To deal with the lattice I think either contrasting paint or wooden slats instead of it would work, but I think I'd live with it for a while. It probably serves an important privacy function.

KarinL

I would take the lattice off the upper deck and replace it with railing. I would leave the lattice on bottom and just plant around it.

This gives you an idea of upper deck without lattice and railing added:

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Here are some ideas of what it would look like with landscaping around the lattice:
Landscaping 1:
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Landscaping 2:
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Landscaping 3:
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