Add a picture of the view from your stoop.

I hope this is what you mean:
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"... I cut it [bamboo] down on the left side but now all that's left is the hard short stumps that hurt your feet when you step on them." The problem is you forgot to sharpen them. Then they effortlessly puncture right on through, barely damaging the skin.

More than likely, you'll want a place close to the porch for the garbage cans, but not so front and center as it is now. If this is the side, maybe right around the corner, in back. For the dogs, are you talking about a fenced-in run? In order to designate a space, one would need to know what possible spaces are available. Since you can't show all, it might be better if you propose what seems like a good possibility to you, and see what others think of it. A simple sketch would suffice, or outline it in a photo.

Here's a simple, basic way to arrange plants. A small, multi-trunk tree form could go in front of the blank wall, seasonal color by the steps and a shrub below the high windows.

It would be nice if you had at least a landing at the bottom of the steps. You could add walk later. A small slab of concrete is pretty easy to DIY.

How wide are your side yards? I was going to advise the cans on the left side yard.

This post was edited by emmarene on Fri, Oct 11, 13 at 2:03

"... I cut it [bamboo] down on the left side but now all that's left is the hard short stumps that hurt your feet when you step on them." The problem is you forgot to sharpen them. Then they effortlessly puncture right on through, barely damaging the skin.

More than likely, you'll want a place close to the porch for the garbage cans, but not so front and center as it is now. If this is the side, maybe right around the corner, in back. For the dogs, are you talking about a fenced-in run? In order to designate a space, one would need to know what possible spaces are available. Since you can't show all, it might be better if you propose what seems like a good possibility to you, and see what others think of it. A simple sketch would suffice, or outline it in a photo.

Here's a simple, basic way to arrange plants. A small, multi-trunk tree form could go in front of the blank wall, seasonal color by the steps and a shrub below the high windows.

It would be nice if you had at least a landing at the bottom of the steps. You could add walk later. A small slab of concrete is pretty easy to DIY.

{{!gwi}}

Here is a rough outline of my property line. Picture at the bottom. The small square is where the picture was taken.

Thank you for the thoughts yardvaark I really like how you did that. I didn't even think of placing the garbage cans there but it seems like a really good idea. My only concern about the placement of the bush to the right of the stairs because of my air condition unit. I should have mentioned that was there. Would the bush still be okay with it there? Here is a picture that shows what I did with the front. I was thinking of maybe arcing my stone border out and back to the side of the stairs on the side of my house. Now with your vision of the plants/landscaping to do on the side I think they might look good.
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I'm not really sure where I could place a dog run. A fenced in one would be nice but it will most likely just be a mulched area (like sand or pebbles that won't hurt their feet) that has a line or stake for their leashes. I was thinking of running it along the bamboo possibly. The bamboo across the side yard and not the bamboo I'm pulling up beside my stairs.

Lastly, looking at my house from the road, the side door in question is on the left. I have a front door and a door on the left (shown in picture. Unfortunately no back door on door on the right.)