Envisioning the "Entrance" to our Backyard

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There's this spot on the rear/side of our house - right next to the screened-in porch and behind the garage that is sandwiched up against the fence and is on a grade appears to be the likely 'entry point' for our backyard.  Right now, it is grass (some of it yellowed!) and a few stepper stones that you can see above.  The concrete pad that you see on the left is the bottom of a few steps that come out of my office and is right behind one that comes out from the side door of our garage.  Behind where I'm standing when I took this photo is one of the fence gates.

The grade poses a problem and that's revealed by the current installation.  You have to kind of walk sideways on the pavers as they make the turn on their angles.  It is *fine* for now.  But, not ideal.

The first thing that pops into my mind is to contemplate how we engineer or build out a little footbridge that incorporates a water feature/pond.  I can imagine excavating a good portion of the area where you see grass and placing pilings for a wooden footbridge to sit on top of as you make your way back.

I've come across this footbridge, waterfall and pond inspiration and I am drawn to it for the simple lines of the bridge.  I know we'd never be able to recreate the tropical nature of this one, but there's something about that photo that I could see applying here.  There'd be a bridge going straight back to a landing.  Waterfall/plantings on the left side, pond on the right taking up the little valley along the fenceline.  Would also require some steps/stairs to get 'up' to the patio and some plantings, but I think that something like a bridge would solve the slope issues and would also really provide a sense of arrival, right?


Location: Downers Grove, IL, USA

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