Index: python/gui/qgslegendinterface.sip
===================================================================
--- python/gui/qgslegendinterface.sip	(revision 15560)
+++ python/gui/qgslegendinterface.sip	(working copy)
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@
   public slots:
 
     //! Add a new group
-    virtual int addGroup( QString name, bool expand = true ) =0;
+    //! @note added parent parameter in 1.7
+    virtual int addGroup( QString name, bool expand = true, QTreeWidgetItem* parent =0 ) =0;
 
     //! Remove group on index
     virtual void removeGroup( int groupIndex ) =0;
Index: src/app/legend/qgsapplegendinterface.h
===================================================================
--- src/app/legend/qgsapplegendinterface.h	(revision 15560)
+++ src/app/legend/qgsapplegendinterface.h	(working copy)
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
   public slots:
 
     //! Add a new group
-    int addGroup( QString name, bool expand = true );
+    int addGroup( QString name, bool expand = true, QTreeWidgetItem* parent = 0 );
 
     //! Remove all groups with the given name
     void removeGroup( int groupIndex );
Index: src/app/legend/qgslegend.cpp
===================================================================
--- src/app/legend/qgslegend.cpp	(revision 15560)
+++ src/app/legend/qgslegend.cpp	(working copy)
@@ -151,16 +151,22 @@
   emit currentLayerChanged( layer );
 }
 
-int QgsLegend::addGroup( QString name, bool expand )
+int QgsLegend::addGroupToCurrentItem( QString name, bool expand )
 {
+	QTreeWidgetItem *parent = currentItem();
+	addGroup(name, expand, parent);
+}
+
+int QgsLegend::addGroup( QString name, bool expand, QTreeWidgetItem* parent )
+{
   if ( name.isEmpty() )
     name = tr( "group" ); // some default name if none specified
+  
+  QgsLegendGroup *parentGroup = dynamic_cast<QgsLegendGroup *>( parent );
 
-  QgsLegendGroup *parent = dynamic_cast<QgsLegendGroup *>( currentItem() );
-
   QgsLegendGroup *group;
-  if ( parent )
-    group = new QgsLegendGroup( parent, name );
+  if ( parentGroup )
+    group = new QgsLegendGroup( parentGroup, name );    
   else
     group = new QgsLegendGroup( this, name );
 
@@ -577,7 +583,7 @@
     }
   }
 
-  theMenu.addAction( QgisApp::getThemeIcon( "/folder_new.png" ), tr( "&Add group" ), this, SLOT( addGroup() ) );
+  theMenu.addAction( QgisApp::getThemeIcon( "/folder_new.png" ), tr( "&Add group" ), this, SLOT( addGroupToCurrentItem() ) );
   theMenu.addAction( QgisApp::getThemeIcon( "/mActionExpandTree.png" ), tr( "&Expand all" ), this, SLOT( expandAll() ) );
   theMenu.addAction( QgisApp::getThemeIcon( "/mActionCollapseTree.png" ), tr( "&Collapse all" ), this, SLOT( collapseAll() ) );
 
Index: src/app/legend/qgslegend.h
===================================================================
--- src/app/legend/qgslegend.h	(revision 15560)
+++ src/app/legend/qgslegend.h	(working copy)
@@ -213,17 +213,27 @@
      * @return void
      */
     void selectAll( bool select );
-
+    
     /*!
      * Slot called when user wishes to add a new empty layer group to the legend.
+     * If a the legend has a currentItem() then the new group will be nested into it
      * The user will be prompted for the name of the newly added group.
      * @param name name of the new group
      * @param expand expand the group
      * @return void
      */
-    int addGroup( QString name = QString(), bool expand = true );
+    int addGroupToCurrentItem( QString name = QString(), bool expand = true);
 
     /*!
+     * Slot called when user wishes to add a new empty layer group to the legend.
+     * The user will be prompted for the name of the newly added group.
+     * @param name name of the new group
+     * @param expand expand the group
+     * @return void
+     */
+    int addGroup( QString name = QString(), bool expand = true, QTreeWidgetItem* parent = 0 );
+    
+    /*!
      * Removes all groups with the given name.
      * @param name name of the groups to remove
      * @return void
Index: src/app/legend/qgsapplegendinterface.cpp
===================================================================
--- src/app/legend/qgsapplegendinterface.cpp	(revision 15560)
+++ src/app/legend/qgsapplegendinterface.cpp	(working copy)
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include "qgslegendlayer.h"
 #include "qgsmaplayer.h"
 
+
 QgsAppLegendInterface::QgsAppLegendInterface( QgsLegend * legend )
     : mLegend( legend )
 {
@@ -31,9 +32,9 @@
 {
 }
 
-int QgsAppLegendInterface::addGroup( QString name, bool expand )
+int QgsAppLegendInterface::addGroup( QString name, bool expand, QTreeWidgetItem* parent )
 {
-  return mLegend->addGroup( name, expand );
+  return mLegend->addGroup( name, expand, parent );
 }
 
 void QgsAppLegendInterface::removeGroup( int groupIndex )
Index: src/gui/qgslegendinterface.h
===================================================================
--- src/gui/qgslegendinterface.h	(revision 15560)
+++ src/gui/qgslegendinterface.h	(working copy)
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <QStringList>
 
 class QgsMapLayer;
+class QTreeWidgetItem;
 
 //Information about relationship between groups and layers
 //key: group name (or null strings for single layers without groups)
@@ -80,7 +81,8 @@
   public slots:
 
     //! Add a new group
-    virtual int addGroup( QString name, bool expand = true ) = 0;
+    //! forceAtEnd forces the new group to be created at the end of the legend
+    virtual int addGroup( QString name, bool expand = true, QTreeWidgetItem* parent = 0 ) = 0;
 
     //! Remove group on index
     virtual void removeGroup( int groupIndex ) = 0;