Hi Rick, Actually the Loop de Loop and Streetwalker are Irises that I have...not for trade. That was just my list to show what I already have so I get different ones in trade. Sorry about that being confusing. As far as the Darmera goes. I haven't found it to be that sensitive to getting dry. Mine is in the afternoon shade. Actually come to think of it, I have had the ones I'm trading in pots for quite a while and I havent watered them at all other than the occasional rains. They are still alive :-) I'll bring them and you can try one no trade necessary. Its really a neat plant especially in the spring when it send up its alien like flowers (before the foliage).

Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Avalanche' Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Eldorado' (-30°F) Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Overdam' Carex muskingumensis 'Oehme'

Cork, as I mentioned in the earlier thread, does not need to be glued. It can be floated. That means it just sits there. Doing nothing. Minding it's own business. An engineered hardwood that is DESIGNED to be floated (must state on the installation instructions) can then be floated over top. The tongue/groove is glued (a line of glue is applied to the tongue/groove) and then pushed together. You wipe up any excess glue and then move on to the next plank. Some blue tape is then used to hold the planks together while the glue cures. It takes about a day. Once you the glue is cured, you have a fully functional floating engineered hardwood floor. Done. It is MUCH CHEAPER and much faster (almost half) than adding new sheathing and then gluing/stapling the hardwood. Whether or not you can float/staple will be clearly notated on the installation instructions.

I'm getting ready to tile my kitchen. I'm leaning toward using Ditra uncoupling membrane instead of cement backerboard. We have 24" oc joists under 3/4" subfloor. The Schluter site says I can use Ditra XL over a single layer of 3/4 ply or regular Ditra over a double layer subfloor (3/4 and 3/8" layers). My question is, what is better/stronger? The single layer with Ditra XL or double layer with regular Ditra? Already assuming that my floor meets the L/360 deflection requirements for my tile. Ditra XL sounds like the better option as it would match up with 3/4" hardwood that is going in next to the tile, but if the double layer of ply is the stronger option, I'd go with that as we're putting in a granite island in the middle of the kitchen and a 36" bluestar range along the wall.