Permeable means it s ability to allow liquids to pass through. Chicken wire is fine if you have moles/voles but landscape fabric is only mildly permeable. Testing consistently shows it slows drainage substantially. It is not ever recommended for the bottom of a bed by experienced gardeners and it would have no effect on the moles and voles anyway. 75:25 compost:loam is high on the compost side and the quality depends on your definition of "loam". Means many different things. But as long as it isn't so-called "top soil" or sand a 50/50 mixture of it would probably work. More commonly you see the recommendation for 40:60. But you will have to add more compost at least once a year and better 2x a year as it continues to shrink as it decomposes. I get the impression you aren't interested in first trying to improve your native soil and incorporate it into the bed, correct? That is the best route to go. But if not then you need to understand that overtime it can affect whatever you fill your bed with unless you made some sort of solid bottom box which is not at all recommended. But you can still make it work with a framed raised bed on top of it with chicken wire or hardware cloth on the bottom IF you keep the bed well and frequently amended with quality compost. Over time the leachate and soil bacteria will improve the soil below the bed as well. Dave

If you are planning to add more organic matter, you should certainly make sure whatever you are adding is neutral pH or even slightly acidic to help your pH problem. But since you have a lot of organic matter already, I would concentrate on fixing the pH problem as a top priority. Just yesterday I used some soluble aluminum sulfate on some acid loving plants. It said you can dissolve it in water to use for container plants as well. Since we are having drought I did that for some shrubs. 1 Tbsp per gallon. You might want to find a small bag of this and use it for watering to see if it helps your plant growth. You can also use cheap distilled vinegar, diluted in a bucket. Only takes 1/4 cup per bucket to bring the pH down. It's probably the most temporary but since you're in the growing season, fast results are important. Sulfur is a good idea too, but it works more slowly since it is not soluble AND has to be metabolized into acid before it does any good. Sulfur is a good thing to dig into the entire bed before planting, or in the fall after your garden is done so it can cook during the winter and hopefully adjust the pH a bit. If anyone here has comments on the above, please chime in.

Once again, a property owner has every right to do whatever he/.she wishes to do about neighbors' plants encroaching into his/her property. Although it is always a good thing to be able to talk to one's neighbor before taking action. however if that neighbor won't act on the concerns, then the property owner should be free to do what they want to do. That neighbor in turn has every right to deal with any plants encroaching onto their property. The problem with many trees grown in tiny properties are they do grow large and start encroaching onto other properties. People have to be more careful. There was a case where a neighbor planted a weeping willow and the roots of this tree managed to get into the basement of a neighbor and destroy the drainage system.. Flooding resulted and so major repair work was needed. About birds and nests. Personally, I think that the neighbor would have been doing them a favour because birds can be damaging to the property. Not to mention feces from birds is a health hazzard. However this would have to be done before eggs are laid or after the chicks have grown and left. Otherwise it's an issue. I've had issues with birds. Cute as they are, these birds managed to destroy a vent cover, build their nests within and destroyed the vent itself. I had to wait out til the chicks were grown and gone before taking action to block them from returning. Cost quite a bit of money as I needed a professional to handle the repairs. Maple trees, though favoured by many is notoriously susceptible to tree rot and falling branches are just but one of the problems of this tree.

Thank you for the feedback. I do think I'm out of my depth with this, though. I had to look up what an inset panel door is! I found examples of that type of door with a beadboard panel. Do you envision the frame of the door to be like a regular frame, with the panel being beadboard? The frame will make it more visible but that may be what we need to do. The beadboard is only 1/4" thick so not very structurally robust to be used on its own. My countertop installers are not likely going to be up for creative carpentry to solve this problem for me on Wed, so what I may need to do is get the shelf put in the recess in the support wall, let them go ahead and install the raised bar, finish out the wall (cutting me a hole to access the shelf) and then I can get with a carpenter to finish out what I want on the opening and door.