Lavender lass, thanks, we no longer have horses (did for years) but like to have the pasture grass eaten to prevent it being a fire hazard when it dries in the fall so we 'rent' it out (mostly accept what neighbors/friends offer) to people with horses or cattle. We had a hobby farm for years altho when the animal census here went over 70 it was no longer a hobby but a lot of work. There are quite a few hardy perennials that do well here altho I don't have a fraction of what I could have. For years, because of said 'hobby' farm I didn't have time and now I don't care to try for a showcase garden - it just has to please me. I grow the plants I like and occasionally try new things by seeding perennials. I like deer resistant plants for the obvious reason that we live in their forest. I'll just c&p my plant list for you of what's growing here altho it's not complete. I haven't put most var. as they are just common garden plants. I haven't done roses since my most wonderful heritage rose died the first year I gardened here. I hate seeing plants succumb so stick with very hardy ones. Plants I have: Leopard's Bane (Doronicum plantagineum), Dwarf Siberian Irises, Autumn Joy Sedum, Hens & Chickens, Blue (creeping) sedum, Green (creeping) sedum, creeping thyme, Bugleweed (Ajuga), spotted deadnettle (lamium maculatum), Bearded Iris, Shasta Daisies, Feverfew, Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla), Pulmonaria, Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue'), variegated ribbon grass (invasive, not recommended), Perennial sunflower (Heliopsis), Jacob's Ladder, Potentilla shrub, Spirea shrub, lilac shrubs, Lily of the Valley, Golden Marguerite (Anthemis tinctoria 'Kelwayi'), Oriental poppies, Iceland poppies, peony poppies (not hardy but self-seed) Coralbell, Columbine, Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris), Cranesbill, Creeping Jenny, Daylily, Delphinium (tall & medium), Bleeding Heart, various lilies, Purple loosestrife, Campanula glomerata (clustered bellflower), Fleabane, Monkshood, Mountain Bluet (Centaurea montana), Dwarf Spike Speedwell (pink), blue flax, Maltese Cross, lavender 'Munstead', red/pink/yellow yarrow, lamb's ears, heuchera 'Stormy Seas', dianthus (Sweet William & Maiden Pink), plus one struggling peony that I'm afraid to transplant! Several different trees that are DH's (maples, Russian olive, some fancy birch?, and a caragana). We also have native alder, spruce, fir, and pine in our house yard. Thanks gldno1, yes, I hope to use the garden house as sort of a greenhouse as here in zone 3 we can't even grow tomatoes in the ground due to possibility of frost at any time. When I grew them on the deck they were safe from frost but not from the squirrels. So I *might* grow them in my little house if we stay home long enough. We're retired so travel a bit. Darstar0301, thanks, I'm glad to inspire as I receive so much inspiration from others. We had this house built 14 years ago in the middle of a forest and, believe me, it was 'interesting' for the first few years. I redid the garden several times even tho I initially had a plan which quickly went south. We learn as we go and every little change adds up. Gardening has certainly helped me learn patience altho it's still not my strong suit. Christinmk - thanks, I don't think I can 'let' ;-) my DH hire out as I don't consider my garden house finished. There will be a porch with potting shed added, it needs a floor (concrete pavers we will do ourselves), stairs to the loft, outside battens, and maybe more window trim. He did get a kick out of the compliments tho as he downplays his woodworking talents.

The hummingbird mint doesn't look like much in the pictures right now. But once it starts blooming it doesn't quit until frost. The flowers and folliage both look really nice and has a lovely airey essence to it. Plus it looks so diffent from the strappy leaves of things that usually populate my garden, like the daylilies. I needed some contrast.

Marti8a, >Wow, beautiful view! Thanks! That's what sold me on the house. the house was originally a small two room fishing shack that got added on to... it's not layed out well inside but I'll put up with it for the view. >>Is the house on a pier & beam foundation? If so, how high is the crawl space under it? It doesn't look like much, but if the subfloor is plywood, you can do all your >>plumbing from inside the house anyway. The back of the house is on cement (so, kitchen and bathroom) and no crawl and the front of the house has a very small crawl space. Any one going in there would have to be very very slender! And not claustrophobic! >>I hate to say this without knowing more, but it really, really sounds like that bathroom needs to be gutted. Ceramic tile doesn't fall off the wall without a reason, usually moisture behind it, or if the house has shifted >>and the walls moved a bit. What I should have mentioned is those delightful pink tiles are plastic not ceramic. I just think they have fallen off due to age and neglect. >>If you took out the tub and put in a shower, you could have a decent sized closet at the end. But if you really like having a bathtub, I'd just move the tub down to the end of the wall. The drain probably goes right over to >>that toilet drain, somewhat like this. I did give the idea of taking the tub out and just having a nice shower but right now am leaning away from that. But a larger closet is certainly tempting. There is very little closet /storage space in this house. >Is that just debris under the sink or is there any rot under there? > it's what's left of the old insulation. I just had to have a bunch of the pipes going to the well pump replaced... I still have to get rid of the rest of the insulation and clean the area up. Thank goodness for a nice neighbor who came over and did the majority of that work. He was a blessing! It's so nice to have running water again! >>I bet the sink used to be in the place where the two pipes are coming out of the floor, and someone decided to move it over to the counter. It looks like a wall sink >>that doesn't really fit on the counter. I bet you're right. I don't have my measurements with me right now but that is a very narrow counter. >Is your well pump in the cabinet behind the tub? Yes. I wish there was a better place to put it. >Are you going to be doing this work all by yourself or >will you have any help? I'll be having to hire help. I'm not knowledgeable about most of this work so it'll be much better if I hire a lot of it to be done. Thanks for your help. Susan

Looking for ideas to Redo one of the gardens on the front of our house. It’s on the north side of house and always in shade. In Lansing MI area. Currently have an old tired yew, a couple leggy rhododendrons, and a burkwood virburnum that I’d like to keep. The other I’d like to get rid of and transplant somewhere else. Would like to go with native type plantings If possible. Blooms during different time of year would be nice. I’d appreciate any thoughts and ideas. Thanks!!