Anyone who follows the Container Gardening board here knows that much of the discussion about pine bark fines is regarding where to find the damn stuff. Obviously it is not easy to find for most people, and it is not available in most big box stores. The pine bark mulch sold in most big box stores is not fines. Most the discussion on the Container gardening forum stems from the fact that most people don't even know what they are looking for, even know what bark fines are despite all the info available about them on the web. And yes I know that the bags of pine mulch sold in the big box stores is not the same thing. Pine bark fines are not sold outside in the mulches section. They are sold inside the section devoted to starting seeds and growing plants. In the Lowe's here, just there yesterday, they are inside on the shelves next to the exotic plants section where the big containers, container plants, cactus mix, the violet mix, the perlite, vermiculite, decorative container gravel etc. is located. At Home Depot, in both of them here, they are just outside the door into the gardening section (not with the bags of mulches), the section on the shelves next to the super sized containers and the similar exotic soils and mixes. Dave Here is a link that might be useful: Pine bark fines pics compared to pine bark mulch

"Is there a trend that anyone has seen on landscaping styles...?" Greenwood, of the two choices you present: concrete landscape blocks vs. micro "boulders"...I wonder if either is the correct choice. Even though you are out in the yard, you are really "building" on to the house... which already has a type of stone in its construction. Introducing an element foreign in character to what's already there seems to add clutter instead of interest. However, of the two choices I find the manufactured blocks (though I'm not nuts about the color) less objectionable. The micro boulders seem very out of character for the house. Then, why be concerned about "trends" when current fads don't necessarily mean improved appearance? It looks like you are trying to hide where the ground meets the lattice, but not trying to actually raise the grade. So why install a curb or "retaining wall" that is empty of soil on the back side? Instead, you could let the plants alone provide the height that screens the lower portion of the lattice. A trench edge to the bed or a flush embedded mowing strip (at least 8" wide) would be more appropriate and less cluttered looking. I'm not trying to make planting suggestions in my picture... just trying to make things look settled and show lattice/ mowing strip alternative.

My house, a small 1930s colonial in northern VA, is yellow painted bricks. All other houses on the street were build most likely by the same builder in those days, and are unpainted red brick. So I always thought that my house was red brick, painted yellow. Now I'm doing an addition and intended to strip the yellow, and create interior red brick walls on the connecting side of the addition. And what do I discover just now? My "bricks" are ... white! Exterior and interior. The workers chipped of a part of a brick, and it's strangely, cement like white. I'm in deep shock. While you guys are all looking for original white bricks, I seem to actually own them, but I'm not sure this is what I hoped for. No other house on the street, or on neighboring streets, seem to have this white brick (or indeed painted brick that might hide the white brick). What might be the explanation, what "bricks" are these, and what to do with them? I've they impression that stripped they would not have the quality surface a red brick might offer. Thanks for any insights.

Fred derf fred: I too was set on going tankless - till i saw the upcharge. It is coming to about $5,750 more to go with (4) gas tankless (Rinnai 94LS 9.4gpm top of the line) compared to State gas water heaters - as spec'd in the drawings of our house. I did research and found out that gas tankless do have an EF (efficiency rating) of .82, however GAS (i believe you compared electric tank) tank heaters commonly have .62, and a few have .68 efficiency. This results in savings of tankless is about $250 per year, for all 4 units combined. So it would take me more than 20 years to recoup the cost difference. This was based on a formula as provided by the dept. of energy. Additionally, State, who sells both, has a 'calculator' on their website that corraborated the results. Also, please note that your existing ELECTRIC tank heater was very OLD. New, gas models are much more efficient so I do not think it is a fair comparison. I am no expert, but these are my findings. I would greatly appreciate any other comments ASAP as we are about to make the decision on going tank or tankless