I'm hoping to do some tipsy pots - I love them. We were returning a child home from my daughter's sleepover and their neighbor had a tipsy pot in the front yard, a white wicker chair with a beautiful pot of flowers (I think they were petunias but we were a short distance away) and misc. things that showed other projects were in the works. I wish they were out as I would have gone over but it didn't look like they were home. I bet they belong to this great group! Well, Weave1022, I hope you're able to post a photo (I'm still learning, too!) and congrats on finishing your tipsy pot. Colleen

Echoes, i often feel like you do, looking at people's pictures and sighing over how lovely their gardens are. Mine are getting there. It's true that we all get inspired by each other. I'm sure my yard would be nowhere close to what it is except for all the enablers here! One thing i have to thank everyone for is the "different" plants i've been forced - uh, i mean inspired - to buy. :) Many of the gardeners around here have the same old, same old, mostly from trading with each other over the years. It's these different plants that are the reason for my yard being on the tour this year - no one around here has as many lilies as i do! LOLOL

Welcome, Alys! I think your potager plans will be the start of lovely things to come. When I first started, I had only a few raised beds, too. You'll be surprised at how much you can grow in a small space, especially if you use the space vertically as well as horizontally. Trellises are a must for this reason. You can grow beans, peas, cukes, squash, gourds and other vining plants up a trellis. Tomatoes will climb a trellis, too, if trained early on. My best to you and post pics when you get going on it. We love the visuals around here. : ) Diana

Well -- time to start your decorating notebooks!! In your case I would buy several good-looking matching binders -- one for each room or space. Add LOTS of those plastic sleeve pages -- as well as ones that have a zipper close to hold fabric or other swatches or samples. THEN add basic pages with measurements for each space -- including the doorways; doors; windows and a basic sketched plan of the room that marks where electrical outlets etc. will be placed. Then go through your R&D (research and development) materials -- and cut out what you need. Also note (with yellow sticky notes) on the pages about "Purchasing Information" Also make note of "your Trends" as you cut out the photos .... perhaps a color, fabric style or type, furniture type etc. Helps you to narrow your choices. So VERY Important to add paint samples, floor samples, fabric samples! Now take these notebooks EVERYWHERE -- you never know when a bargain will jump out of a crowd! Also carry a good measuring tape and a camera! ALSO -- always keep hard copies of e-mails between you and your contractor, suppliers and builders etc. Let them know that you will require hard copies of documents! Add photos of any and all "questionable" items or practices. Make sure that you sign off on EACH and EVERY change -- and keep a copy. Keep all of this in a separate binder ((with sections for each room)) under the title "General/Legal Building Information" Keep it in a place where you and your DH can refer to it on a daily Or hourly basis! Also keep an online diary of the whole procedure -- again -- so you can keep a very good track of the timeline on each stage of the process! Add photos!! And then download it to a disc ....