These are all such good ideas. Wanted to suggest too that once your photos are taken of your house, overlay with tracing paper and roughly sketch in sun/shade areas and then some plantings, shrubs and small tree(s). Fun to play around with various shapes and forms...tall/narrow or low/rounded, etc. I'm going to disagree a little with Rhizo's statement, "No plants should visually or physically 'barricade' the front entrance of the home, or any part of the front." I'd agree generally but prefer to plan our garden for our specific needs/privacy. For example at our former home, a 1950's ranch house set far back on a wooded lot, the huge front 'picture window' and the screened porch on one end of house were too open to passersby (I don't like window coverings in daytime). I planted a small grove of dogwoods to shield the left-hand portion of our house and tie in better with the side yard filled with mature trees. Didn't cut us off completely but gave a sheltered feeling we liked to our main living space. (Plus we preferred looking at our Dogwoods to looking at cars going by and houses across the street.) This was in an older neighborhood of huge lots...wouldn't work in so many other locations, nor suit other folks perhaps~~smile. Just mentioned this to suggest that you consider your views from inside the house as well as street view and to plan your garden for your specific house. No one plan fits all. Another suggestion...visit nurseries now when they aren't too busy and look for plants with good winter color, branch structure, berries, etc. for winter interest. Plus the staff have more time now to answer your questions. Good luck...I envy you a little starting fresh...josh

Here's a thread with instructions on how to post pictures. Lots of people have learned and practiced here. Here is a link that might be useful: How To Post Pictures

Hi, Cindy, I got the seeds from cookooznest on ebay. It's called mermaid gem. It's hot pink with a yellow center. Seeds tend to differ from the parent plant though. I think that's the thrill about growing from seeds. You may get a dull plant or an explosive beauty out of them. Time will tell. lol Ruthann, I think a crested plumeria is actually a mutant. lol I hope someone will come in and let me know for sure if it is a crested or not. I'm curious to find out if the crested bloom or not. I do think they are rare. Crafty

Since you're working with an architect, I'd have no bones about telling him to go back to the drawing table and draw up a more functional plan. I'd list out what you like about what he's drawn and every single thing that you don't like and why. Be blunt and then sit back and see what he comes up with. If he doesn't get more functional then I'd have no problems with taking your business elsewhere unless you are totally in love with him/her for other reasons I can tell you realize that there are quite a few basic flaws with the plan. Go with your gut and if you don't need a room, there's no reason to have it in order to "fill in the space". Your architect shouldn't give you a room you don't want just because he's got a gap in the house! Starting with walking in the house from the garage. How would you get in? The door would either be limited to a 90 degree angle and then bump into the bench and block the way to the laundry room or it would open across the other hallway. To get from your bedroom to the laundry room requires 5 turns.... that's an awful lot of weaving around. You're right about the back to back vanities .... tell the architect that you expected better! You'd need to thread that gauntlet everytime you needed something from the closet. If you leave the MBR in that location, I'd insist on a sound insulated perhaps double wall. Your kids are still young, but eventually you'll be hearing every noise and rumble of the TV from that wall if they are up later than you. Try and picture yourself and the kids doing the ordinary things and walking about the house, eating, drinking, sleeping, opening doors, hanging up coats, letting the dog out of the house, running to the laundry room for a shirt you forgot, Good luck and I hope I didn't come off as too harsh! Really! Since you are still at the beginning plan stage now is the time to ask these questions and not be afraid to make drastic changes if it's necessary.