"What the pro builders said: architects design buildings on paper (ie, computer); we build them in the real world." You would think from your comment that the hands-on aspect of building in the real world would give a builder enough knowledge to avoid mistakes. I have not found this to be true. I find that because many builders have only learned on-the-job from other builders who learned the same way, bad construction practices can be perpetuated for decades. In my experience, where most builders have the most trouble is in lateral structural bracing, moisture control, and structural connections. Sixty to one hundred years ago, when most of the basic residential construction principles were established, materials were cheap, homes were over structured, and moisture control was simple: just kept he water running downward. Today's construction materials are fabricated to minimize material and labor costs and provide a much higher level of moisture and thermal performance. Were does a builder go to learn about these materials and how to put them together? Unfortunately, most information is available only from the manufacturers who often issue it in the form of thinly disguised advertising brochures. Only a hand full of highly experienced consulting engineers actually have a good handle on how these materials are best assembled and some of them are willing to share on the internet. Some builders pay attention to this kind information but I find that most do not. Today, to suggest that a builder is better positioned to understand the principles of good construction is simply not true. The simple fact of the matter is that few builders, architects, or manufacturers have the level of knowledge they really need to be effective. It is such a mess that I have begun to look forward to retirement so I don't have to deal with it anymore.

Adjust the size using your "Zoom" feature. Could be accessed by what looks like a cog wheel on your tool bar to get the custom option or by using the shortcut Ctrl - (minus) which will make the text smaller. As an aside, I generally have the size set at 103% which is good for viewing virtually all of the GW posts, but when the right side wording gets cut off on some threads, I zoom down to maybe 95% and the text appears intact.

I re-imagine my garden all the time. I've been here for more than 20 years, so I have to watch myself because of lack of space for planting new things. The moving about of plants is part of the fun... or the chore of having a garden. This winter we had an unusually long snow season and several of my plants were damaged. I have senna plants that flush out into beautiful yellow blooms in August and they really suffered. Some of them were just too damaged to keep. I'd been eyeing the bed they live in for a while and the winter damage gave me the push I needed to re-do. I'm sure that senna plants can be weaved together to form a green wall. I've decided to try and grow a blooming bower. They aren't quite big enough yet, just little stick looking things really. Still, a half-day of work and it looks 100% better. Back to your frustration... I think you may be reading it wrong. It seems more like you're creatively visualizing your garden. You're probably better off leaving without anything if you have a sense that before you buy you need to move things about.

With regard to letting the beet seeds sit in water until they germinate, and then planting them, root damage is one of the last things I would worry about. When I plant 2 inches apart, and they come up anywhere from 2 to 6 inches apart (because of incomplete germination), I routinely restore 4 inch spacing by transplanting the seedlings, and even shaving multiple seedlings (as beets tend to produce) apart. Movin' them around. A small teaspoon does a nice job of that. They all go on to thrive. I find that tiny beet seedlings are pretty indestructable. As I think I said, I have soaked my beet seeds overnight, and it seems to make little difference in germination time. Wet seeds are harder to manipulate, however, and I don't enjoy planting them. You can't easily drop them in place. They stick to your fingers. So especially in that soaking doesn't seem to make a big difference, I'm inclined not to soak. I'm skeptical about beet seed scarification by shaking onto sandpaper. I've done this, and they come out looking pretty much the same, with little or no chaff left behind. I think they are too lightweight to scarify efficiently by bouncing them around. Heavier seeds scarify a lot better that way. As of now, as usual, I have thirty feet of beet seedlings, perfectly spaced. It just takes a LONG TIME to make that so.