It's really difficult to answer specific micro-landscaping questions without the macro picture, and it's particularly difficult to do it when a lot of decisions have been made already that are suboptimal and now have to be worked around (my sense of you is that you won't take offense to that remark - please don't!). I've had the feeling with this thread that we've backed into discussing what your landscaping needs are, but maybe now that the big picture is starting to come into play we can make some progress. The last picture you provided finally takes things out to a frame that puts the micro stuff into some context. I'm going to in fact ignore for a moment the question you originally posted to address some of the things you've brought up in the interim in passing. For example, what should be in that foundation bed? That there is something wrong with those Microbiotas has been nagging at me but I haven't been able to put my finger on why. I think it is that, being flat, they don't actually do anything to anchor the house/connect it to the ground - if you have a flat foundation planting, you do need that height out further in the yard to frame it. Nor do they provide much visual interest for sitting on the porch. I mean, I love them, but I wouldn't want to stare at so many of them up close all summer. For that, I like plants that are alluring up close, great foliage or flowers, and changing as the days and months go by. I've also got just a patchy understanding of the planting constraints, specifically rocks/drainage in the front yard. First I thought you couldn't plant trees out there, but with the apple question it sounds like you can. If you could give us a plan view of where you can and cannot plant, that might help (and even if you only do it for yourself, that might be a tool that would help you make decisions). Somewhere on this forum, Laag has posted a list of questions to ask yourself in making a plan, I just can't recall where. And on other old threads you might see some examples of plan views in action. Reading some old discussions might even help you to pinpoint your objectives - sometimes the hardest part. The other thing that is bugging me - and I know you don't want to hear about the house here! - is that the frameless front porch is a special landscape design challenge. I understand why you have it, I think, but something about it looks unfinished. It is massively improved by just those few flowerpots in the first picture. My tentative thought is that such a porch, with a step-off look, would only look logical with a patio right below it to step off onto - not with a flowerbed. Or have you ever considered making the steps go all the way across the porch, not just the centre? I also wonder whether all that rock, which I love in theory, is too fragmented a material to use to anchor such a big house. That impression might go away when you finish the walls as planned and some macro lines emerge. In aggregate, I think that if I were to sketch a plan for your front yard based on what you've told us, I would (a) move the Microbiotas to cover the slope that you see as you drive up, so that they are seen somewhat from above and not just from the side, augmented by the boxwoods somehow, (b) put a couple of mid-size deciduous trees in the front yard, apple being a fine choice but not a maple (never be constrained by something that you have but didn't really want in the first place), hopefully you'd be able to include one that would shade your southwest corner in time, (c) make the foundation bed some sort of a walkable flagstone pathway with ground covers and perennials - assuming that in winter it's covered with snow anyway?, and (d) put something on the porch to edge it, if just those few pots. Hope that helps, and that others can fill the gaps or errors... KarinL

I have wanted to refinish my oak stair treads originally finished with Tried and True wood finish (BLO and beeswax) 2 years ago. It's not holding up to traffic (event though we don't wear shoes in the house - wax and wet/sweaty/oily feet don't mix). Now I *really* have to refinish them - DS threw up on them last night. I cleaned up the vomit (mostly on 1 tread) with dry, then wet paper towels, and the grain is raised. 1. How do I disinfect the tread(s)? 2. The risers, skirtboard and trim are all poly'd, they are OK. I want to refinish the treads with something more durable (either poly or Waterlox), can anybody recommend something that wouldn't take too long to dry since we are living in the house and it's hard to keep people off the stairs for more than 8 hrs max (that's if I have prepped the night b4, put 1st coat on as soon as the kids leave for school, and don't let DD upstairs until DS gets home from school). 3. How do I prep to make sure I've got all the BLO/wax off so the new finish will stick? Or do I just use dewaxed shellac to seal it, then poly over it (have had success with non-floor surfaces doing this, but not over wax either, just using shellac as a sanding sealer). Thanks

hmm, he took the nails with him (I don't have a nail gun), they were Senco, they might have been galvanized? I don't know what he used on skirtboard last month, those might eventually need to be pulled off and put on with SS or coated screws. I just caulked the porch side (using a veterinary syringe), since I have these finish nails, not going to punch them through now, do you think they've dried enough (no rain today, hot - almost too hot to caulk since surface is supposed to be

worthy: > Thank you for the link. It's rare to find such a clear explanation of such a challenging task.