So I ripped up the old dead bushes, and after 1 yard of topsoil, 1000lbs of rocks, 4 bushes and a partially crippled back I have some of my landscaping done.

Used mesh material under the rocks to allow the soil to get water.  Got the rocks from a local nursery Twin Pond Farms right on route 9 in Howell.  1 1/4″ Candy Cane is what it is called.  The bricks in front I picked up from Home Depot.

The stone walkway was original but I plan on redoing / sprucing it up a bit and replacing the outer wood lining with bricks as well.  The solar walkway lights work really well too.