Outdoors

So this week is supposed to be sunny all week (rain on the weekend, go figure) but it makes me wanna make my yard all pretty.  I have been in the  same house for 6 years and have done nothing to my yard.  The last couple of weekends, we have cleaned up last year's leaf collection in the back yard and tidied up the yard.  This weekend, we started up the old Lawn Boy (ok, Hubby actually did, HOWEVER, I did attempt to do it Saturday, but the stubborn thing wouldn't start for me) and cut the grass and made me start to think about "beautifying" my yard. 

Since I have been there, I have THOUGHT about putting flowers, but I am not a gardener...at all.  I wouldn't even know how to buy flowers.  In front of my porch, this past weekend, I thought, "if I only had some wood, maybe I could make some flower beds"...Hubby laughed at me.  Not like I would have a CLUE what to do, but maybe Dad could help out.  I want to make a flower bed!

We have a pretty big back yard, except it has no grass (or sun)...it's like a mixture of clay, mud and crap...so, not a pleasant back yard, so we just don't go back there...besides, it's close to the neighbours and therefore, zero privacy.

We have another back yard which gets hit with the sun and has somewhat nicer grass but it's not like I am going to put Maddy's outdoor stuff way back there, I feel too secluded.  I like to see who drives by and stuff, therefore, Maddy's "play area" is on the side of the house.  This brings another issue to my mind...she has one little play structure that she climbs through the holes and a slide and then her pool....pretty boring.  I want to buy her new stuff, but those little playground sets and stuff are expensive.  I have been looking on Used Ottawa but haven't come across anything.

If anyone has any tips on how to plant flowers for beginners or where to start, let me know - any tips would be appreciated.  Also, if anyone in the area has outdoor equipment willing to give up, name your price and give me a buzz.