The picture pretty clearly shows that the tree is a Norway maple. All maples are difficult to garden under or near but Norway maples are the worst. They produce dense shade, shed most of the rain like an umbrella and produce roots so dense and fibrous there's no way to dig. What I'd suggest is tough, hardy rhododdendrons such as species maximum or the old iron clad hybrids. Don't even try to make planting holes. Instead, add a deep layer of partially decomposed bark on top and plant in that. Yes, the maple roots will colonize it, but with proper attention to water and fertilzer, the rhododendrons will hold their own.

We are finishing our basement this winter also. We are only finishing 1/2 of the basement the other 1/2 will be for storage, washer and dryer furnace and oil tank and work shop. I don't want a bathroom. 2 full baths in the house for a family of 4 is enough for us to keep clean. We have a refrigerator in the basement now so we are going make a mini kitchen with just enouth room for a sink, microwave, and coffee maker. I am looking into Ikea cabinets for this. We are adding closets/pantry for storage of bulk items from cosco and BJ's. We will be using dry wall , ceramic tile for the floor, recessed lighting (cans) , and a suspended ceiling. I want to be able to get to any wires or pipes if I have to without having to break through drywall. The lights will be able to be turned on or off at the top of the stairs, as well as in the basement. The basement will also be on a separate heating zone to conserve oil during the winter. The room will be one open space and not divided into smaller rooms. This room is goning to be used mostly by my sons who are ages 14 and 11. I don't think that I would put much money into a basement if it's just for resale. I would just stick to the basics of four walls, ceiling, floor, heat and some closet space. The new owner will have their own idea on how to decorate and use the space. Keep it simple.

Fairly easy to do ... Find three mirror-front wall-mount medicine cabinets that you like, with widths that total about 6-9 inches less than your alcove. Use wood filler strips between the walls and the cabinets, and between the cabinets. They might have to be recessed a bit so the doors can open - depends on which cabinet you buy. Basically you make a 3-compartment wooden box - mount the uplights and downlights on the box, mount the cabinets in their compartments, and attach the filler strips and any molding to the box sides and dividers.

My one non-negotiable item was the Pebble Sheen finish. I would've given up deck space, pool size, water features, etc. but not my Pebble Sheen. It is glorious to behold and so much cleaner to look at than our previous white marcite pool. Seeing all the little bits of dirt on the bottom of the white drove me crazy. With Pebble, the dirt doesn't show as much. Even the surface seems to require less skimming than my neighbor's marcited pool. So far, the Intellitouch remote control is pretty cool, too. But a total luxury as opposed to the Sheen which, for me, was a necessity.