Patio

I'm open to ideas for this ugly concrete eyesore as well. My plan is to give it a kind of japanese flavor --- bamboo, sand and rock, but in such a way that people aren't tracking sand all over and whatever they're walking on is solid. As the hedge is a bit thin right where it most needs to be thick, I'm considering some sort of high arbor from the house and hanging something at the far end as a screen. It's probably overkill, but my "worst case" scenario is that of not having to worry about wearing a swim suit out to the hot tub even if the neighbor kids are having a party.