The ancient practice of bonsai lifts pruning to an art form level. The pruning techniques for bonsai not only reduce the size of the plant but strive to mimic the natural forms of the trees that grew in the mountainous, harsh regions where bonsai originated. One of these popular forms is the cascade bonsai. Creating a cascade bonsai is intended to reflect the shape of a tree that has had a difficult time, yet perseveres. It is best to imagine a shape that was formed due to the crushing weight of heavy winter snows, land slides or mud slides. These natural catastrophes will twist the tree downward in nature and so it is with a bonsai in the cascade form. The main trunk of a bonsai in a cascade form will bend downward, past the lip of its container and past its root line. The branches on the main trunk will reach both out and up, as though it were striving for the sun.

The masonry bit probably won't work, except on terra cotta. As glazing contractors we regularly drill all sizes of holes in glass/mirrors, granite (shower door installations) and other vitrified materials (the objects people bring to us to drill holes in). Most containers you'll encounter can best be drilled with a "spear-point" drill. I'll link you to a picture from one of our suppliers. The drill is also called a 3-point drill. Highly vitreous containers (glass, or glass-like - ceramic - clay fired at high temperatures) may even require a diamond impregnated "core drill", but it's very uncommon to find containers like this, especially at the dollar store. These inexpensive drills can be found at big box home improvement stores. They should be cooled with water or a 50/50 mix of water/antifreeze as you drill. An excellent strategy is to immerse the container upside down in a tub and add enough water to just cover the drilling surface as you drill. Rotating the drill clockwise at a slight angle while drilling will greatly increase ease of operation. Alternately (I use this method), fill a squeeze container (contact lens solution bottle is stellar) with water or 50/50 water/antifreeze & squirt it at the drill/material interface as you drill. If you can't find the drill you need, you can contact me off forum & I'll be glad to help you. Al Here is a link that might be useful: Here is a link that might be useful: See a spear-point drill here.

Parsley is a cool weather herb in the southeast. If it dies, it's normal, so don't worry. Replant it in the fall and enjoy it through winter and spring. Assuming you did harden off the other herbs (if not, that's the trouble), the problem could be your potting soil. Herbs tend to like very well drained soil that's on the lean side nutritionally. So, if say, you used Miracle Gro potting soil with moisture control and fertilizer, the soil is staying too wet and the plants are getting too much feed. Back off the water first. Make sure the soil is nearly dry before you water. That may be enough for them to perk up. Next time, buy the straight Miracle Grow potting soil without the moisture control. (The fertilizer will leach out of the soil in a few weeks.) Arkansas Traveler is a really big tomato vine. You need a really big pot to grow it in: 18 inches wide and deep at least. If that's not the trouble, it may be hungry. Tomatoes in pots need regular (weekly or at least every other) fertilizer, and of course, they need consistent moisture. Don't ever let the pot go completely dry. The bigger the pot, the longer it stays moist... The pepper will be fine in your all day sun. Feed and water it just like the tomato. As the weather gets even hotter, it will do even better.

Thanks so much for your response, your encouragement and the pointers about feeding young plants. I'm not generally anxious to feed healthy-looking plants, but roses have a reputation for being heavy feeders, so I'm glad you nipped those misconceptions in the bud, so to speak. RU had so many roses I wanted it was hard to choose, even though I limited my choices to the sale roses. 'Enchantress' was sort of an impulse buy- sold by lovely HMF photos and an 'Excellent' rating- but I guess if she's still around she must do well somewhere, and I'm hoping that our yard will be one of those somewheres. I didn't realize, though, that she tends to be smaller and trickier than other teas, so that's very useful info. 12-18% humidity? I sure wish I could send you some of our humidity (currently, 89%) since I know you need it... 'Maman Cochet' was one of the two roses that made me want to try growing old roses in the first place (the other being 'Souv. du Dr Jamain'). Like a lot of people, I figured rose-growing was far too arcane, expensive and complex for ordinary mortals like myself, but it eventually dawned on me that I was constantly seeing old, old roses that had long out-lived the people who'd planted and cared for them, so maybe they really weren't ALL fussy divas... Hoping none of my choices are fussy, blackspot-prone divas, but if they are, I'll give them some time to get over it, then try to find them a better situation if that fails. Thanks again, Virginia