To Ivy Palaces

Another series of photographs taken from the front yard toward sundown. In the daily flow observing exotic and wonderful locations, I can only dream and go to the front yard. The challenge for me is to create just as compelling a photograph, with a wow factor that the exotic location exudes.
In order to accomplish this, greater discipline needs to be employed in the ordinary. For instance, is the S95 point and shoot camera the best choice for the purpose? And if so, would a tripod make for a sharper image? And is it sharpness you are after? Perhaps the Nikon D5000 with the ability to adjust the depth of field would be the camera of choice. I could have made the pine tree in the background as sharp as the ivy in the foreground.
But is that the most compelling way to capture this image? As is, the scene, with the limited depth of focus, draws your eye first to the ivy and then beyond and out to the white road. Would an image in the background in shadow or limited focus been affective?
The color? What of black and white? Of limited saturation? Lately, I have been enthused with the use of super saturation on the S95. Too much can become gaudy and distracting.
The image effectiveness even comes down to the mat surrounding the photo. I toyed with many combinations, and settled for a neutral green. Perhaps a simple white or cream would have been more affective.
There are endless possibilities to what seems just a simple snap shot in the yard.
The goal like I said is to not settle for the easy way, but delve deeper and deeper into the found at hand objects and elevate them to the level of, "Where was this taken? I want to go there!" To the ivy palaces!