I've never planted a silver maple but sure regretted a previous owner planting several - horrible surface roots. I planted myosotis/forget me not seeds my first year here and I really regret that - the seed germinates everywhere and then they all mildew. the seeds are really sticky. triple yuck. I've always read daylilies are the easiest of perennials - they do not do well for me; it is not sunny enough. I have only planted white ones and when they do bloom, they're a pale yellow, not a white. but mostly they don't really look healthy. I'm giving them another year, but I think it's hopeless. some innocuous 2" pot of a sweet looking small groundcover that is trying to take over the world. After the first summer when I could not dig up all its roots, I smothered it with cardboard and put mulch on top. It has survived to torment me. I like purple oxalis, though; it spreads but is very easy to rip up in areas where I don't want it.

I've had two pondes and love them! Well worth the money and work! So much of it can be done yourself with scrounged materials, cheaply. And a small yard is no excuse for not having one. I'll let you in on a little secret...grass is useless. It has absolutely no purpose and uses up a lot of water and chemicals to look nice. So, why have any? Make paths throughout the yard with woodchips or shavings, etc. and make the rest of the space into garden/ponds. Maybe a little bridge over the stream between the two small ponds. Old carpet makes great under liner. Small barrels and rubermaid storage containers make great filters. Lavarock from Walmart is a the best filter media, too. So are sponges without soap, plastic dish scrubbies wihtout soap, plastic bath scrubbies without soap, and sand with small gravel. An out-of-pond filter is really the only kind that works. Pre pump, in-the-pond filters don't really clean the water, just protect the pump. You'll need a small part of the pond deep enough to be below the frost line if you want to keep fish in it all wanter. Here in Barrie/Toronto area, that's about 4' deep. But it can be just a small section in the center of the pond. The fish hibernate under the ice in the winter. You may also need a way to keep a hole in the ice all winter, if you want to keep fancy Koi. However, goldfish are a lot less sensitive to that kind of thing than Koi. It's not necessary to spend money on fancy "pond" plants. Lots of garden plants will love growing in the pond. One such is impatients. They love to be free root (without dirt) in the water and they'll never wilt in the heat with their feet in water. Ribbon grass likes the pond too, so do canna lilies (both potted in soil with the pot in the pond)also ellphant ears, monarda, creeping jenny and watercress (which can be bought in pieces from the grocery store and rooted. It's a perennial and will come back in the pond every year.) - and peace lilies and pothos from inside the house. Ponds are so much fun and fish are great pets! Mine were trained to eat from my hands and came looking for food every time they heard my voice. I'd have to shoo them away to move the pots around and work in the pond, little beggers! They know your voice and will hide if anyone else speaks. Even a tiny container pond is worth the effort. LOL! There's no mosquitoes in a pond with fish. Goldifsh eat eveything that moves. I regularly threw the slugs and earwings in the pond and they were snapped up before they got down 2". They fought over the worms.

Wow, WOW, wow to all the seating areas here! Can't pick a favorite- they are all so amazing! Great thread idea LL ;-) -goldenpond, is all of your pond man-made? It is really incredible. That paddle boat looks like such fun! -Mary_lu, Speechless. If you put a little coffee pot in that porch I would PAY RENT to stay there! What a neat idea to put the church window-like frames in it! -Susan, love the colors! I know your DH picked out the plummy color, did he pick out the rest of them too? Love em'! My two (not counting the front steps ;-) seating areas are in the backyard. Here is the big table and chairs under the flame maples. This pic is taken from the back pathway. Took it from this angle because I couldn't bear having you guys see the horrible mess I in the side garden!! Lol. Here is the patio/shade garden area. What a great thread. Reminds me I need to get a little bench or something for by the arbor garden! CMK

Let's see, in my entire house, the DR set, MBR set, sofas and one coffee table, all the area rugs were bought new, as were WTs. *Everything* else (Hitchcock table and chairs in breakfast nook, end tables in FR, rush bench in mudroom) were bought in used furniture stores, CL (LR end tables and coffee table plus the table the TV is sitting on now, old carved oak chair, MBR wing chair and ottoman, DS's bunk beds, desk, chair and bookcase, FR bookcase, and 2 spare chairs for DR), GW (artwork in DR and FR, MBR lamps, white wood porch rocker, wicker settee, wing chair in LR, Rubbermaid storage cabinet in basement and lots of dishes, glasses, small appliances, etc.) or at auction (DD's BR set, DS's dresser, side table and blanket chest in MBR, and secretary now in LR). I'm not counting ebay (crystal and all the master bath faucets, sinks, and towel bars), Big Lot type stores (area rugs, MBR valances, LR and Ds's romans, throw pillows, FR lamps, towels, sheets) or clearance sales at JCP, HD and Lowes (bathroom tile, bathroom mirrors, PR faucet, bathroom light fixtures, LR and DR drapes and rods, MBR and DR romans). Haven't found much at garage sales except the Pfaltzgraff set (with serving pieces) I bought 20 years ago (and have added to with help from other garage sales and GW). A lot of the kids' clothes have come from thrift/consignment stores.