I want a small bush or ornamental grass or vine that I can use as a privacy screen, but it goes under a maple tree. Even the grass is dying there -- the maple just sucks the life out of everything I plant. What might I use there that would be able to hold its own?

Do I start from the bottom up or the top down?

What are the best stone materials to build a terrace that is maintenance-free?

I have a field full of milkweed, but what else can I plant to attract butterflies?