Spring is here, it's finally here.

Ants are a problem when they come in the house aren't they. I hope you can get rid of them.
I'm glad to hear spring has finally arived with you and that you're enjoying it :o)

yes i noticed a few ants yesterday,cant wait for your pics

Sounds like alot of hard work going on there! Not quite sure where Indiana lies, but daffordils do tend to be harbengers; in our area they are now just past their best, but they have been lovely, an annual renewed joy.
Look forward to the pictures of progress in your "patch".

How about American Bittersweet for a shade-tolerant vine? It'll have good color and will be a good wildlife plant. Planning is so much fun, isn't it (until you realize how much money you'll be spending!). I'm looking forward to seeing photos of your garden.

Looking forward to seeing your garden when the bulbs are flowering! You could try a line of talcum powder on your doorstep, I'm told ants won't cross the powder, although I've never tried it myself! Let us know if it works or not!

I wonder about diatomaceous earth (food-grade). I use it for flea control and it's non-toxic. The only problem is it won't work if it gets wet, but you could use it indoors wherever the ants are entering. It gets into the insect's joints and cuts them up. It will not hurt you or your pets if it's ingested (in fact, I put it on my dogs and cats). Just make sure you get the food-grade type and not the kind you use for pool filters.

Thanks for all the recommendations for the ants, and also for the shady climber. We did look at american bittersweet. It's a gorgeous plant... and I would love the have that kind of color in the fall. But I also read that all of it is toxic. I have two kitties that like to go outside and occasionally they like to put random plants in their mouths. Do you think it would be okay to grow that? I'm not sure what attracts cats to certain plants, and I don't know if they'd be interested enough to try it.

I put out an ant bait for the ants. I really hate the idea of killing anything, even ants. :( My DH is going to caulk around the front door this year, as that's where they seem to be heading. I can't see them inside, so I think they must be crawling around in my walls... Eeks!

Try Lazy S'S Nursery & look at their vines. They have a fabulous selection and I have been thrilled with the quality of plants I've purchased from them, even those shipped in the heat of the summer. You're bound to find something there.
I hate killing anything, also, but sometimes there's no choice - I have to trap rodents in the attic. I use one of those battery-operated traps that electrocutes them; I figure it's more humane than snap traps and I won't lose a finger that way. There are cats on patrol in my reptile rooms so they'll take care of anything dumb enough to come in (I lost some baby turtles to mouse attacks). I hate it but what else can I do?
Better to have ants in your walls than termites, just trust me on that one.

We had a pest company come out the other day to check out our ant problem. Doesn't seem too bad. He also did a termite check... no termites! Yay. We do have a lot of centipedes and mealy bugs though. Need to take care of them before they take out all my plants!

Lainedru, I'm sure centipedes are our friends in the garden they're predatory insects, do you mean Earwigs which are a nuisance?

Can someone on the site clarify this please? Maybe I'm wrong?

Helenium. I think you are right. I just looked it up online. Although the pest control guy said that they would eat vegetation. I guess I shouldn't go with that company if they are giving wrong info about the insects, huh?

Lainedru, the pest control company gave you the right information about centipedes eating plants, but.. they only eat vegetation if there are no insects to eat!

I know the earwigs are little devils eating the petals on Dahlias and other plants! One stuck it's fork in my thumb, I wasn't wearing gloves and oh boy that hurt! But.. my own fault, it was only defending itself.