Design help for medium-sized garden

[Defence21]

Good morning all. I've got a bit of spring fever here in Western Pennsylvania as we experience 60 degree weather just one week after temperatures that dipped below zero. Anyway, since I'm home from work with a sick daughter today, I felt it would be a good day to begin planning for my spring projects.

The first of which is a patch of garden area in my front yard that has been rather neglected since I had a large pine tree removed early last spring. Below is a photo of the space. At its longest, it is roughly 20 feet, and at its widest, it is roughly 10 feet. The narrow dip in the middle takes the width to around 5 or 6 feet.

Currently, there are two patches of blade grass (which may or may not be incorporated in the redesign), and three unidentified plants clustered near the raggedy fence/mailbox (which likely will remain part of the new design).

For those who may have read a previous thread of mine, you'll remember that I'm very into nautical/beach themes, so a design that might incorporate some elements along these lines would be ideal. One idea I had was to replace the fence with dock pilings capped with copper and connected by rope -- where the mailbox is, I might clump three pilings of various heights together and wrap in rope, setting the mailbox on top.

...and that is all I have. If anyone has ideas and is willing to help, I'd truly appreciate it! I'm on a budget, so cost effectiveness is extremely important, as I'm also working on several other projects this spring (including new windows, which have put a major dent in my budget).

This may be asking a lot, but if anyone is capable of using the photo below to do a layout of plants, that would be great.

Thanks in advance!

[rainbowgardener]

Don't have any nautical themed ideas for your little mailbox garden. But since you reminded us, any updates on the nautical themed backyard you were working on? How is that project coming along?

[Defence21]

Don't have any nautical themed ideas for your little mailbox garden. But since you reminded us, any updates on the nautical themed backyard you were working on? How is that project coming along?

It's a slow-moving project. I started digging for the ponds in early fall, then ran into issues with moving the plastic, preformed ponds from their previous locations. One was in sad, sad shape and in no condition to be moved. Another is massive, and needs a much larger hole than I anticipated -- and then winter hit.

I've also removed most of the existing plantlife, and the plan is to continue as soon as the weather breaks and the ground thaws.

In the front, I'm hoping to plant perennials, for easy of care, cost effectiveness, and looks. But I'm short on layout ideas. I'm not as overly concerned with the nautical theme in this area, as I'm just wanting to spruce up a drab area.

[tomf]

you are a ways form the ocean so a nautical theme may not fit the area, but if it is what you like. Some rules for land scape gardens are as follows,plant in odd numbers, go from low to high, put in objects of interest.