In consideration of your needs I designed your secret garden dividing into one side for smells and for a winter outside fire pit, and the other for activity and food production. In the portion of the garden by the side of the garage, a selection of evergreen flowering shrubs and a japanese maple that has a really beautiful branch structure compose a winter scenery.
The access to the garage is made by stairs and I added a ramp. Surrounding the ramp is a corner for aromatic herbs suitable for around 12 plants.
On the east side of the garden, I planned for two sitting areas under wooden pergolas, one for dinning with a big table over a wooden deck and by the side of the shower, the other by the entrance to receive quick guests and to be a semi shade for the kitchen walls. On the pergola over the dinning area a climber(wisteria spp.) is selected to fill the holes in the structure with leafs and flowers. On the pergola over the entrance some tillandsias should be fixated in the outside beam making for a leaf curtain. This structures provide privacy to the garden users.
Also in the house entrance, I added a path of stepping stones right under the tillandsias. This path could later be transformed into a ramp for accessing the house.
The adoption of ramps is important not only to receive guests witch reducted mobility but also to have a more subtle mean of mobility for when we become elder. This things make a difference in later life.
In the north side of this portion, by the side of the entrance, is the vegetable garden. There’s a selection of species just as a suggestion, and there’s space for 32 plants. In the wall, a wooden trellis and a planter for receiving a climber(black satin), making for a green wall full of blackberries. The vegetable garden is complemented by a green house and a compost tank to make your plants stronger.
In the northwest corner two fruit trees with easy care and delicious fruits. This area is suitable for a hammock, and for a relaxing time.
Right in the middle of this portion is a large grassy ground for the kids and dog to play, which could later receive a pool.