Before and after

You can see in the photo with our grandchildren that on the left the evergreens go all the way to the ground and the grapefruit tree limbs hang almost to the ground as well. The other photo shows how I trimmed the evergreens. My trees didn't have any central branches. They spread way out. So they have a bonsai look now but it is nice to be able to walk under them. The grapefruit tree is much neater and the little orange tree on the other end now has room to breath and grow. Perhaps it might eventually bloom and bear fruit. I am assuming it is an orange tree.
Under the trees was bare sand. I thought perhaps since this area is shaded that I might be able to grow impatiens. I have not even tried impatiens before because I have had no completely shaded areas and the sun is too hot for them in unshaded locations. I planted fushia and white mounding type impatiens. I discovered when I watered them that the water rolled around on the surface of the sand just like mercury on a solid surface. I had not brought any soil in to work into the sand. My only solution for now was to apply red mulch to hold the water and absorb it for the plants benefit. It worked.