You probably won't need to do any protection for the plants or boxes. The pansies will lay down when it gets too cold or they are snowed on and the hellebores will do similar. Both will perk back up as it warms during the day. If you are adding soil to the coco-mats for the plants to grow in, then that should provide enough insulation for them.

Leekle, in my opinion, this is a no-brainer. I do believe in "letting nature take its course" is when nature builds its own nest. But when you build and provide nesting/housing for these songbirds, you have an obligation and responsibility to protect them from predators. If you are going to have a nest box, the onus is on you to properly locate it and install baffles or other appropriate protection from snakes, racoons and other predators. Building a box and then watching a snake destroy the family inside is not an appropriate learning experience for your children. It is akin to setting up a trap. Please let bluebirds nest elsewhere if this is your plan. However, I think your children will get great enjoyment and a wonderful education from learning how to build and set up appropriate nesting sites, watching the eggs appear and the babies hatch, and then watching the parents - both parents! - feed the babies nonstop until they fledge. My nesting boxes have given me great enjoyment for the past several years and recently, I had three-to-four broods within the same season! (Two broods per season is most common.) You will love this if you take some care to do it right. Please read the following links as they are full of great information My GardenWeb posting about putting up a bluebird house: Got the Blues THE definitive Bluebird site with lots of info about where/how to put up a nestbox: Sialas (Bluebirds) Some of my bookmarks about making your own baffle: Baffle Conical Baffle Cone Baffle Carol in Jacksonville Here is a link that might be useful: Sialas (Bluebirds)

My collection of pots isn't big, but it changes from time to time. Also, I have reorganization fits and change the way they are arranged. I admire people who can get fine organization right the first time, but it takes me a while of trying it out. So, maybe think about that before choosing a final system. If you're not into peg board, there are grid systems (I linked to metro below) - a metal grid that attaches to the wall through small stand offs. Pots are hooked to the grid, the grid and stand offs keep anything from touching the wall. In the system below, you can get narrow shelves and other stuff that can hook in. Also Ikea sell some inexpensive rails that you can use to hang pots. It will hold most of the pot off the wall and also prevent hands from touching the wall. It reduces the amount of "wall protector" needed. Here is a link that might be useful: One grid system.

Ok, you piqued the curiosity of this retired engineer. I searched using your entire warning phrase and this is what came up on an Amazon comment: This requirement stems from NEC 285.25. Type 3 SPD's are not capable of absorbing a large surge of energy as they are small. So the manufucturer is using the impedance of 30 feet of wiring to reduce the surge to a level the device can absorb. May I recommend a different product here, one made by ZeroSurge either a 2R7.5 (2-outlet 7.5 Amp Max) or 2R15 (2-outlet 15 Amp Max). The ZeroSurge device uses no sacrificial MOV instead relying on a different technology called "Series Mode" which will more or less last a lifetime as it has no parts that wear out over time. They cost more, but if you consider that Type 3 SPD's are designed to be replaced annually or up to 3 years you'll come out ahead over the long run with a ZeroSurge device. My translation: - Metal Oxide Varistors (MOV's) close to the panel surge protectors will still 'see' the surge that the panel suppressor does; the smaller suppressor needs the impedance (inductance and/or capacitance) of the 30' of wiring to drop the levels to something that is manageable. MOV's are the typical device used in most suppressors (including Eaton and Square D). They act by clamping the surge voltage to some maximum level. Unfortunately, where the 120v power wave peaks at ~170 volts (120 x sqrt2), MOV's may not start to conduct until, say, 300 volts or more. So, some amount of surge will always get through. And, surges take their toll on the MOV structure; with repeated surges, MOV's will ultimately fail. - The Series Mode technology that ZeroSurge uses starts with inductors and capacitors, passive components that can be spec'd with appropriate values to prevent failure even in long-term use. Such suppressor designs are always functioning, that's why they say noisy 85 volt power will still benefit from their suppressor design. But, this design doesn't clamp surges to some max level, it can be viewed as trying to push down (but not completely remove) any noise peaks that appear on the power line. The best technology is probably a combination of the two designs. But, adding the ZeroSurge technology is a pricey option, their 2R15 suppressor is $210 on Amazon! There are basic series pass filters that can be purchased, https://www.amazon.com/Suppressor-Single-Phase-Line-Conditioner-JREle-CW4L2-20A-S/dp/B073MCGBP5/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=powerline+filters&qid=1628266350&sr=8-3 for much less but they require you to provide a suitable enclosure and do the wiring yourself. Personally, I have Square D suppressor breakers in both of my panels, and replacement cost lightning insurance on everything in the house.