Ok I'll do it. I think nobody is saying anything because all of the plants you listed would likely suffer from lack of sunlight in your barrel, except the lobelia. Early morning and late afternoon sun is not very strong, and the plants you listed really all need at least 6 hours of stronger sunlight. I might try the lobelia, foxglove, vinca, but the others I think will disappoint you in such a shady spot. Since it is mostly in the shade, I would recommend a lot of white and/or very light colored flowers, and variegated foliage, which show up well. How about some of the taller begonias, caladiums, coleus, impatiens, maybe some tradescantia, sweet potato vine and/or pothos trailing out of it?

Thanks for the pics Dax and Mark. How does 'Strict Weeping' fit into the small foot print group? I have a local nursery that has 'green arrow' and 'strict weeping'. I see there are several with what appears to have the same description; Green Arrow, Moonshot, Jubilee, Van den Akker, Stricta (Strict Weeping) to name a few that I have seen on the 'net. I saw on UBC Botanical Garden Forum from 2007 where you (Dax) said 'Van den Akker' was narrower than Green Arrow but didn't see 'Strict Weeping', 'Moon shot" nor 'Jubilee" were compared. To your knowledge Dax how does 'Strict Weeping compare to Green Arrow and Van Den Akker? I also read about pruning the 'Skirt' off for a smaller foot print....What exactly is the skirt on evergreens? That pic of Pendula Bruns certainly doesn't fit the foot print sizes I have been seeing on the 'net. Has it been pruned to keep it narrow? or am I reading misinformation on this tree? I'm trying to find the difference here: It seems to me the difference between Pinus 'Niagara Falls' and 'Angel Falls' is, even though both can be staked for upright growth, Angel tends to be naturally more mounding. Therefore I would think more responsive to upright training? If anyone knows, please clue me in. Dax, you thought Picea 'the blues' wouldn't work. If I understood what you wrote it was due to excessive(?) pruning. When I google it, not much comes up on it and I do like the color contrast it would make with JM 'Crimson Queen' and "Orangeola' Is there another reason you felt 'The Blues' wouldn't be right? thanks for your help kenny

I put evergreen boughs in mine for the winter and sometimes some dried hyrdangeas or other textural items. I had to get a new barrel a couple of years ago. The previous one from the previous owners finally rotted out. I also put mine on a layer of crushed rock for protection. Good to know that 10+ years is realistic expectation. I have a 2nd one that I am trying spring bulbs in this year for the first time. I was just about to look for some plastic or other "roofing" material to keep all this upcoming heavy rain out of it.

Most of the Puget Sound area is z8 at least and only higher elevations in western WA dip to a 7 - Oregon is the same. I garden primarily in containers and I leave everything outside all winter without concern. As long as your choices are hardy for this area in the ground, they will be fine in that size container as well. It just doesn't get that cold here in winter. As to what to plant, your choices are almost endless. Anything that can grow in the ground can grow in a container, if suitability sized. I grow mixed shrub containers, dwarf conifers, Japanese maples, hydrangeas and all manner of perennials. And a few that are a mixture of most of these. My favorite containers tend to be a mix of a dwarf conifer, some sort of smallish broadleaved evergreen shrub(s) and an evergreen perennial like heucheras, ferns, ornamental grass or a euphorbia. This provides a year round effect. Any local nursery can help you select plants that work well together.