Hello. I joined Gardener's Index on 5/27/2009, and it is a great site! Gardeners are the best people. 0:-)

We finished building our house on family farmland in the spring of 2004, we planted some trees and started a small flower garden, but really didn't start the garden until the next year. With life (which was VERY insane when we first moved in{my mother was in a serious car accident w/ head trauma, she came to live with us after hospital/therapies, etc for 4 months}, and includes 4 active kids {at the time they were in K, 4, 6, 8 grades}), and me not making money (I'm a SAHM/ Volunteer Extraordinaire) we're slowly making it look like the house has been here much longer than it has. That is one of my goals, along with attracting wildlife: butterflies, birds, frogs, dragonflies...you name it...although the skunks are very cute, I imagine you can understand why they are not a favorite. ;-)

We built the main flower garden immediately and have added to it so it is along the entire "south" side of the house where there is a large window in the LR, and bay window in DR, patio door also which now leads to a covered deck and the garden wraps around (very simply). It also disguises the septic tank some (someday I hope to have a little sitting area to make it look like a patio, but it's extremely windy...).

I've been slowly working on my new front entrance garden, and am always interested in other people's suggestions, I even started a group for it. Even if I don't use the suggestions, I love hearing/ seeing other people's ideas and suggestions! There have been many terrific suggestions, and I'm still working on it and still may use some of them, or use the info in different areas of my yard. :-D
http://www.gardeners-index.com/group/landscaperschallenge?groupUrl=landscaperschallenge&id=3193295%3AGroup%3A57028&page=4#comments

Also, I have gathered many windows and hope to make a greenhouse from them some time. Suggests and advice from others who have done this are ALWAYS welcome!