I do what I can. I guess you could call me cheap. Somehow when we need something my brain goes, "How could we make that?" Notice I said, "we"? Dh is a Master Plumber so has worked construction for about 42 years. He also doesn't mind DIY so we make a good pair. One thing nice, if he has a problem with some construction thing, he just asks somebody at work the next day. Oh and it comes in handy that he is allowed to drive his plumbing truck all the time so we have access to all those tools too.
I grew up on a farm and though my family wasn't trained/educated at all, they also found ways to accomplish what we wanted and needed without having to put out big bucks. One of my earliest memories was of coming (walking) home from school and entering the "back room" and looking up to see my mother sitting in the attic with wires in one hand and a book about wiring from Sears in the other hand. She had discovered the brown stuff/insulation that coated the wires was all crackled and she was afraid the house would burn down. So she pulled the new wire through the walls with the old wire and she rewired the whole house. So see I come by it naturally.
Jen, I'm not one much to know about plants. What kind of soil do you have? Are you looking for perennials? I don't like putting bushes that drop leaves or flower petals by the pond. I have sand/sand/ and then more sand. I used the Ajuga because I had grown it about 25 years ago and when I pulled it up and threw it on the back of our property, it took off and was growing all over the place back there. So when I needed something to put by the pool, I just went back there and dug it up again. I use Impatiens/annuals a lot by the pond and in the back yard because it is shadey. Joyce is a good person to ask for suggestions.
Really DH does most of the hard work but you might be surprised at what I'll tackle.
