Questions this month come from gardeners across Maine and even from a reader in Muskegon, Mich.

Q: Some time ago, I read in a column of yours that there are three or four main areas to a landscape. We recently purchased a new home with very little landscaping. At first I thought the task of designing gardens was a little daunting but now view the “empty” yard as something of a blessing – I can start with a clean slate in designing the yard just the way I want it. Can you please provide me with the names of those areas again?

A: Certainly! Nearly every well-designed residential yard has at least three main areas: the public area, the private outdoor living area and the service area. These areas are designated after careful consideration of the family’s needs and activities. Each area can be further broken down and tailored to a particular set of uses. For example, an outdoor living space might incorporate a play yard, a patio space, a swimming pool, gardens and a badminton or crochet court. The private outdoor living area for a young family might be dramatically different from that of a retired couple, so a needs assessment should be performed before any area is designated.

One of the most important factors to consider is the pattern of circulation between areas of the landscape. Paths and walks visually link the landscape and ease the transition among landscape areas.

Landscape design requires a great deal of contemplation and site analysis. To help define your landscape needs, consider referring to a landscape design resource during these last weeks of winter. An excellent source is Taylor’s Guide to Garden Design, available from your local bookstore.

Q: Can you recommend some garden shrubs for shady areas?

A: Naturally, some shrubs tolerate shade better than others. It is an excellent idea to select plants suited to the environment, rather than to try to grow plants whose qualities we enjoy but which may not be suited to the natural ambience of our yard.

Shrubs that will tolerate partial shade (that is shade in the morning, shade in the afternoon or lightly filtered shade throughout the day) include yew, honeysuckle, andromeda, azalea, arborvitae, euonymus, hemlock, mountain laurel and rhododendron.

Q: Each year, my lawn has patches of something that looks like grass, but each with two or more wide blades that grow tall more quickly than the real grass and of a lighter green color. Can you tell me what it is, and how I can treat it to get rid of it?

A: It’s difficult to say exactly what this rogue grass may be without seeing a specimen. It might be nutsedge, in my opinion one of the most noxious weeds known to humankind. I rank it second only to Japanese knotweed (aka bamboo).

Nutsedge is a common lawn and agricultural weed throughout much of the United States. It uses multiple strategies to propagate itself and to survive eradication attempts. It reproduces by seed, layering and through specialized roots called “nuts.” It is exceptionally difficult to control.

Before treating any garden weed or pest it is wise first to positively identify its genus and species. Check with your local Cooperative Extension office to see if an educator or specialist there can help you in this endeavor.

Diana George Chapin is the NEWS garden columnist. Send horticulture questions to Gardening Questions, RR1, Box 2120, Montville 04941, or e-mail them to dianagc@midcoast.com. Selected questions will be answered in future columns. Include name, address and telephone number.