Silver Maples are one of the worst possible choices to plant in any situation. They are extremely fast growers and are structurally weak because of the fast growth. They frequently split in two or have one of their massive branches fall with little warning and the branch will frequently rip open the trunk exposing the tree to various diseases and insects. They are particularly dirty trees meaning the drop of those little spinning seed propellers are extremely numerous and sprout over a very wide stretch of time. I have found them sprouting years after they fell from the tree. The spinners collect in foot deep windrows and will burrow into the mulch but given moisture they can sprout with little or no soil. They can tear apart the gutters on a house and lift shingles. They can destroy driveways and walks not to mention the house foundations. Your pond wouldn't stand a chance if the tree sent its roots in that direction. There are worse trees but they are rarely used for landscaping. When we put in a small pond at the Co-operative Extension Gardens, it was at least 20 feet away from a mature Silver Maple. We had to cut roots that were 4 and 5 inches thick and the feeder roots formed a mat so dense we wound up replacing more than a cubic yard of soil. Some of the roots ran another 7 feet. It took 6 years to convince the University to let us get rid of it. Many of us who had battled the tree cheered when it was gone. That was two years ago and we are still finding seedlings sprouting. If it is at all possible, get rid of the Silver Maple and replace it with a better variety such as a Red Maple. Silver Maples are very popular with contractors who plant them to satisfy home buyers who like the idea of large trees quickly. It is a really bad choice that can come back to haunt you. Sandy

I'd use the upright heater with the fan. You want to move the heat around. But I can tell you that with all that concrete on the floor and lower walls, you are going to have cold seepage. You don't mention what you're going to do with those kneewalls, so here's what I would suggest. Rigid insulation, such as styrofoam boards on the inside of those walls, vapor barrier and some kind of waterproof wallboard. A floating floor above the concrete deck, beginning with 1x2's nailed or glued to the patio, concrete board over the 1x2's and tile, brick or stone covering with a good waterproof coating. We had a similar setup built on our patio up in Colorado and the room was cozy and wonderful even with a blizzard raging outside. It wasn't a greenhouse, it was more of a conservatory, because it had a solid roof, but there were huge windows all the way around the three sides. We used a glazed tile in a terracotta color and it looked real nice. My plants loved it and they thrived in that room. The floating floor was the main reason that it was comfortable in there. Your plan so far looks wonderful. Cheryl

Sabrina, Si je retourne en arrière 5 ans, ce que tu vois dans les 2 photos était du gazon seulement. Sabrina is a young woman that visited my gardens this Summer. I'm telling her in French that 5 years ago the above 2 pics shown grass only: When you're young, 5 years is not a long time. So this should be encouraging to newbies who are starting this wonderful hobby. Hostas are very easy to grow, and the good news is that they get better and better as they grow and get older. Papou

I'm new to this board as well. I am looking for ideas to downsize our stuff. It is so hard. I tend to want to save DD's too small dress for a cousin who lives an hour away and won't fit into it for 4 years. I pile, bag, save things only to find that recipients are overwhelmed with things and are not always willing to take on stuff they might need in a few years. It's a NOW world. Anyway, I feel I am always in put away / tidy mode and I can't progress to actual cleaning. I spray a little windex, throw down comet in the bathroom, laundy, cook, and dishes and that's about it. My swifter wet jet is a godsend. 24 hours in a day and 100 hours of chores to do. As for hobbies, I think they are very worthwhile (even though I don't have much time now for my top 10, or even top 3 thanks to full time job and mother to 2 busy gals). I gave up one craft that I very much enjoyed because I found it tiresome to constantly have to hunt down materials to make a new project exactly like the one I made last year. Also, I often spent alot more $ on my craft project than I could have bought a ready made for. Granted, I would have some extra materials, but not enough, so the buying cycle continued. I have noticed that people without hobbies, whether its music, exercise, art, crafts, wood work, genealogy, etc. are bored people and this multiplies as you age. So often, I see people who could easily retire continue to work just so they'll have something to do. I think that's sad.