The Green House is very simple to build, if you have some simple construction knowledge and tools. I will give you some basic ideas on how I did it. First of all, I build two. One with PVC pipe and the other one with Wire Cattle Panels. The PVC Pipe one goes like this. It is 12 by 18. It can be larger, next year plans are in the work for a 12 by 40+. I experience alot of wind, so I made it stronger than needed. First I made a 12 x 18 box out of 1 x 6. Then I dug 4 holes in the corners for a 2.5 foot 4 x 4 post. Then screwed the box to the posts. Then cut 1.5 inch PVC pipe cut 6 inches long every 4 feet on each side. Next take a 1 inch pvc pipe that is 20 feet long and bend it into a hoop. I stress buying 20 foot lengths. I tried to glue 2 tens together and it was just a pain. Two people are nice, but one person can do it. Drill two holes through the pipe and 1.5 inch pipe and attach the hoops to the box with long screws. Optional part, I ran a 3/4 inch pipe down the middle and bolted it to the hoops. It made it very rigid. On the ends is the tricky part. They can be done many ways. I framed up a couple rectangles and mounted some old storm windows that I picked up for free. Then made the door out of a scrap piece of chipboard. Prior to attaching the doors and window, the plastic needs to go one. I used a 6 mil piece that was 20 by 25. It was not fancy greenhouse plastic, just the stuff in a hardware store. 6 mil is the best, I wouldn't go for 4 mil, waste of time. I attached one side of the plastic to the outside of the box with staples. Then sandwiched it on to the side of the box with a 1 by 4. The boards ran the whole length of the building. Pull the plastic over the hoops and pull it tight too, then sandwiched it. Then pull the ends around and wrap them through the window rectangles and sandwiched the windows on and put 1x4 sandwiched on the bottom. I attached two short ropes over the outside of the plastic and attached to the sides of the box, this stopped the "Balloon Affect". Watch the temps, it can get very hot in the sun. One day it was 45 outside and windy. It was 90 plus at 10:00 in the morning. If the plastic rips, fix it with clear duct tape or clear packing tape. Attach it to both sides, if you can. I had a rip in a 45 mile wind storm. I was able to tape it back togther and it held great! The smaller one is the same process. Made a box, set posts, bend cattle panels over, attach to the box (on the inside), put black pipe insulation over the ends of the panels to avoid ripping the plastic, cover with plastic, sandwich the sides, finish the ends and enjoy. A high tunnel can be made very easily. Google "High Tunnel" and you will find out some really good info. These two little building have survived alot. Two tornadoes, 4 hailstorms, 2 weeks fo 30+ mph wind, 5 inches of rain (in 1.5 hours), 50-65 mph winds. I think they are the greatest things ever!

The "mystery fir" is a little too tall for me to get a decent picture of seed cones. That might have to wait until fall anyway; I don't think I spotted any remaining after winter. Is A. chensiensis var. ernestii = A. recurvata var. ernestii? This is the first time I've seen this species and variety in person. I love the very thick dark green needles, stiff branches, and needle retention (some branches looked like they had 8 or 9+ years of healthy needles still going strong!

First of all: what you have is lovely. But what is your vision? Sometimes it's hard to sort through all the options so here's some questions to get you started. If you want, you can answer any or all of them here, and that will give GardenWebbers a better start for their suggestions. How do you want to use the yard? Think in terms of the outside being just like the inside with different areas used for different things. Do you need big open play areas? Spots for the dog(s) to walk, play and do their stuff? Sitting and watching sunset / sunrise / birdsfeeding / kids playing / horsesjumping / whatever? Do you want to grill and eat outside or does that happen in the screened patio? Do you want/need a path to stroll on? If you do, you can use the path to link all areas of the yard. Do you want a series of flower beds, some sunny, some shady, some mixed? Do you want seating by these areas? If you have a butterfly or hummingbird garden, you'll want someplace to sit and enjoy the show from! If you have a favorite flower do you want to devote a bed to that plant or have some of it everywhere? Do you know what style of garden you like? Tropical, cottage, formal? Edible? Open and mulched or packed in and wild? If you aren't sure, then you should drive around your area and see what looks good to you. Also do some internet searches to view some nice pictures. Visit some of the other forums here to see what they have posted. Besides thinking in terms of usable 'rooms' outside, also think in terms of small vistas or vignettes. From the driveway, what does the yard look like? From the backdoor of the screened room? From a favorite bench? Etc. Take a picture from each spot where you might stop and imagine what you want that particular view to look like. You can blend them all together later with a few plants or another path or a pretty shrub. Consider adding a focal point to each special view, like a piece of statuary, a bench, a birdhouse on a pretty stand, a birdbath or a fountain. Doesn't have to be large or expensive. Hope this helps get your choices narrowed down a little! I highly recommend sketching out your yard and drawing in the paths where you want them. Graph paper works great for this. Have fun! Kate

You already answered the question Bonnie, because they're stupid and clueless. I have no idea on why they were so adamant about wanting them and then didn't do anything but yank them all out. My nasty side wants them or at least her, to get bitten by the gardening bug and then to realize what they tossed down the hill behind the house! Serve 'em right. Those pictures up there of when we lived there, were taken before we even thought about moving. So all those bags of mulch had been spread, rocks were used to outline the grassy areas. I took pictures, but my camera pooped out on me and somehow, the pictures were all lost. For a cherry tree, an absolute bird magnet is the Wild black cherry (Prunus serotina). Another good one is the American Plum (Prunus americana). On that lot, we had Northern red oaks (Quercus rubra), Sour Gum (Nyssa sylvatica), Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum), Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) and also Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata). The Liriodendron tulipifera is the state tree and one to surely have. In the back yard, I had an American holly (Ilex opaca), winterberries (Ilex verticillata), viburnums, native serviceberry. I wanted, but never bought, Northern bayberry (Myrica pennsylvanica) and Spicebush (Lindera benzoin). I also had Strawberry bush (Euonymus americana), American beautybush (Callicarpa americana), Fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica), Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia), Bottlebrush buckeye (Aesculus parviflora)....and I can't even think of all that I had. I still am in contact with people down there and they tell me all the time how bad that drought is. When we moved down there in July of 03, it was just after the flood! What a difference, huh? Wimpy for snow? I love snow. I think I missed that the most living in TN!! Forget my parents and my siblings and their families, I missed snow! LOL! I am seeing more and more butterflies around here. This morning I discovered a Black Swallowtail caterpillar! I'm happy ;) I think the ecosystem that exists here in this town is so out of whack. So anything I can do to bring it back, I'm doing. Bonnie, you can e-mail thru my page....maybe Rita would like her thread back....lol....Sorry Rita! ;0) Here is a link that might be useful: TVA Native Plants