According to the local Rosarians I spoke to at a Mourning Cloak Ranch plant sale...Maps may indicate Zone 8-9, but they said we should follow Zone 7 rules. 

Are you sure you want/need a "grassy" area?  Even a small amount of lawn leaves a large eco-footprint.  Try imagining an area with natural plants, perennials, lots of blossoms to attract birds, bees, and butterflies...all natural friends and pollinators of your veggie garden!   Check out http://organicgardening.com... for solutions/ideas for beginning a new garden area.

In Peace & Love of Gardening,

Annette

Thanks for the info!

And yes, I AM sure that I want a grassy area.  The whole point of re-doing the backyard is to add outdoor living space to my small place: an open grassy place to relax, eat, play with my niece when she visits, etc.  I am happy to inform you that I will not be trashing the grass clippings, though.  I'll be leaving them where they lie as fertilizer (I have info on how to do that).  I think that will do a lot to minimize my eco footprint.

ETA:  Oh, I forgot to mention that I will also be using a push reel mower.  No gas, electricity, nothing.

 The grass clippings can be worth their weight in gold!  They're great for heating up a compost pile, mulch in your veggie/flower beds.  Don't throw away leaves, they  have the same benefits as grass clippings plus if you have a great abundance or access to them (from neighbors and such) they are great for over-winterizing your more tender perennials.  

Bulbs of all sorts do very well here...If you plant tulips, also plant daffodils as a sort of gaurd!  Gophers and ground squirrels love the tulips but hate the daffs.   I posted a few pictures of my garden in my profile.  Once you've caught the "Gardening Bug" it's hard to keep it to yourself!  Garden On!

 Yeah, I know what you mean.  I'm already excited and I haven't even started yet! I love tulips and daffodils, so for sure I'm hoping to put some of those in.

And guess what?  There are some strawberry plants that have found their way into the planter right by my front door.  So all I have to do is transplant a couple and I have ready-made, free, well-established strawberry plants!  So exciting!

I got one of those sound-based gopher repellers.  I'm hoping it works, because I'd hate to have to resort to any more physically-based (poison, etc) pest control.  And my backyard is TINY, so one will be enough if it works.   That's kind of nice; it cuts down on cost : O)

 Ok, so the sound-based gopher repeller has MOSTLY worked.  But I followed another suggestion of putting cat feces (with 2 cats, that's no problem!) down the holes when new mounds show up.  The critters don't like the smell because a) it stinks and b) cats are their predators.  Supposedly, it works EVERY time.  : O)